Morning In America

This post, of course, is not to be confused with this one from October of 2005. This post, possibly the first of many today (but you never know; my blogging promises are hollow, indeed!), refers to the words of the famous "It's morning in America" campaign ad run in my much younger years by Ronald Reagan.

I unintentionally awoke at about 5:00 this morning and was unable to go back to sleep. I don't know if it was out of excitement for today's inauguration, because I went to bed early in preparation for an early morning workout, or just because I'm dumb. I was awake, though, for good and decided to go downstairs and see what inaugural coverage was already on. I was glued to the tv screen as I watched crowds pouring onto the National Mall as the sun rose behind the Capitol. It was an incredibly meaningful and moving view of hope and excitement, recommitment and joy inspired by the feel of a new day dawning. I think it's fair to say that I've never been choked up so many times before 6:30 a.m.

Eventually, I peeled myself away from the television and went to the gym, where I watched the coverage continue and the crowd in D.C. grow ever larger. In a moment that I still have not been able to fully mentally synthesize, hip-hop artist and actor Bow Wow offered commentary on the meaning of this day from CNN studios in the capital. One day, I'm sure I'll know what to make of that.

(Don't call him "Little") Bow Wow aside, I am so excited to see so many of my fellow Americans so fired up about our nation and our future. May the hope and pride of this day persevere to be part of every day to come for us and for people all over the world.