We just returned from the Inauguration and are now in our hotel room defrosting. While our toes are almost frozen, there is significant warmth in our hearts and souls. Here are a few impressions and conversations from this morning at the swearing in of President Obama:* The crowd was enourmous and joyous. It was high in diversity: race, age, social status and geography. We loved our instant friendships with a pair of radio show hosts from Laredo, Texas; a corporate lawyer from Chicago who talked about her parents' taking her to see Dr. King give his famous speech; a 10 year old boy from N.J. who clutched a poster of Obama; and a multi-racial Next Gen young woman who said: "Obam is just like me.. a milk shake of color and an audacity of spirit.
* The sound of a million people singing the National Anthem was overpowering.
* The tears rolled down our faces as the words of the swearing-in carried over the loudspeakers.
* The patience of the crowds as they waited from 5 am until 8 am when the Secret Service screening points opened and then another 4 hours until the start of the ceremony.
* The sight of George Bush's helicopter taking off as we were exiting the grounds of the Capital. It was a final verification that the torch had been passed.
* Everyone was talking to everyone on the Metro. The sense of the day extends to strangers befriending strangers. We chatted with a man who flew from Paris to be part of the day - in appreciation for what Americans did for France in World War II.
* We hosted over 100 people at our office during the Swearing In. I called back several times to give a live update from the lawn in front of the Inauguration and connect with our neighbors and fellow Obama volunteers.
Now we are back at the hotel, watching the start of the Parade and warming up for the Inaugural Ball that we will be attending at 7 pm tonite. More about the Balls in another post in a minute..
