The Inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States

Today, Barack Hussein Obama will stand on the steps of the Capitol, where only forty-three men have stood before him. In a city built by slaves, he will be our first African-American to ascend to this high office.

Over the past two years, groups small and large have banded together, tied by the common thread of change, and learned how much their vote matters. A unanimous call to action.

Pundits, writers, bloggers, holy men and poets are pondering this ascension by a young, black, interracial man. The son of an estranged Muslim father, who once did cocaine and freely admits it -- he is our unlikely hero. If there's one capsule that highlighted the past administration: it's the downfall of the masters of the universe -- those who governed finance and law, who have been humbled by nature itself and become unwound by math, the laws of physics, and their own greed.

Unfortunately, they left a bewildered nation yearning for hope and re-birth. While Bush wants to be seen as Lincoln (a terribly unpopular President in his day) we already look to Obama as our Abraham.

Today is a day of introspection, reflection, and quiet in an age of up-to-the-hour polling and complex models of unnecessary information overload. We're inundated with a constant and hungry news cycle, oftentimes spearheaded by fear mongered ratings, the desensitization of the populace and callousness of spirituality.

He represents our self-correcting democracy; "we the people" can band together and succeed at overthrowing our government peacefully and with continuity. He represents the potential of voter turnout and how the opposing party must bow gracefully to a collective will.

On this rare day we put aside our party politics, our trepidation, our beguiled and embattled selves and we watch the fruits of our perseverance. The money we contributed, the time and wise words. We watch our success in this year of little joy.

Yes, of course there will be debate. Yes, of course there will be challenges and contention for those who wish to collapse a presidency for minor things (like a blow job in office). Today everyone takes a break, tomorrow they will work hard to win our support once again. We must be diligent.

I hope Obama will not slip. I hope this is a time of reawakening, for he is a man that understands the symbiosis of technology, government, and activism. For he is our first modern president. Obama is the first to take us into the new future of the nation. After the massive economic upheaval and purging, we must rebuild as a nation and become stronger, on a once again solid base and real foundation.

As White House stewards go through the internal and quiet ceremony of changing name plates, china and furniture. The quiet symbology of change - the unseen tasks, unattended by pomp and circumstance. That truly stand for transition.

Imagine being the man who removes the moniker of George W. Bush and replaces it with Barack H. Obama.

This great nation has been divided before. We have been called to sacrifice; we have been called to action, to defend and fix ourselves, and we'll look back and shake our heads and smile. As prosperity once again comes to our coffers and bank vaults.

Gone are the days of thousand dollar caviar omelets and gold leaf ice cream sundays, and seven hundred dollar steaks. For the cycle of the country, which went from gilded age to depression to war to prosperity again, can not be staid. We lifted the hood of our economy and found hamsters feverishly running on broken wheels instead of a Ferrari.

The harshness and precipitous drop of job numbers, retail sales and the avalanche of these two indicators feeding on each other, must be softened. For our cycle, this time around, began with gilding then war.

Now we rebuild, and watch, and hope, and pray. Now we see a new beginning sworn into office.

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