~*~Barack Obama~*~

As the news was announced that Barack Obama would be our next President, it wasn't as if anything in my life changed, but somehow everything seemed different. I was suddenly seeing my world though a new lens, a new light, a new belief.

I have never really been bursting with pride with patriotism, and for good reason really. In my lifetime alone this country has been involved in 3 wars (5 if you want to separate the War on Terrorism, War on Iraq, and the War on Afghanistan...but really, who can tell the difference between them?) Our current "President," I use that term generously, and his Father have been the two authors in the book of every one of the wars of my time.

I have witnessed a President who, while in office, embarrassed his family and our nation by letting his teenager hormones rage. As much as I believe he has a right to be human and make mistakes, how can he justify standing up in front of the nation and lying, skipping around the facts with, "Well it's not *technically* sex...the cigar did most the work." sort of statements.

I know Obama is not a miracle worker, he is not going to get into the White House, click his heels and change the world. However, I do believe in him. I believe his words when he says he will unite us in areas we were once divided. I believe he has given this nation exactly what we need, and that is HOPE. For those who didn't vote for him and are now anxious about the road our country is on, I say, just hold on...open your mind, and watch.

I have never known what it was to actually *love* your President. I would hear the stories about JFK and see how people still grieve for him, and I never understood. Until now. I am at a loss for words when it comes to how proud I am, I suddenly feel like everything is going to change, finally for the greater good of *all* Americans, not just the 5% with enough money to buy their way into the "club" this country has become.I feel like my voice was heard, my vote counted. I feel like I have witnessed one of the greatest moments in U.S. history, and I will be telling my children about it for years to come. I feel at peace, I feel pride, I feel relief, most importantly...I finally feel.