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Ochazuke | |
 Gwen Muranaka |
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Tuesday night marked the most historic presidential election in all of American history. Most definitely in my 26 years of life. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, this article is exactly for you. But not just you, it is for everyone. Electing a man of color to lead our nation finally signifies everything that this country was built upon and has stood for during its 232 years in existence. It only took two and a half centuries, but we as a people, have risen from slave to president. For those too upset to watch President-elect Barack Obama’s acceptance speech, I encourage you to read it. Yes, actions speak louder than words, but words still can inspire. I truly believe that. Why else would I write? Tuesday night was one of the most important moments in my life. A night that will now determine the course of the country I call home for at least the next four years and god-willing, the next eight. And yet, this best of times has found me in a place in my life I never expected to be at this age. Early Sunday morning, during the nebulous hour when Californians turned back their clocks, my mother of 26 years, passed away while I caressed her head, my sister lay at her feet, my wife lay at her side and my father gripped tight her hand. For two hours, we, as a family, stayed near her, watching as her breathing descended from ragged, quick gasps, into soft wheezing, then finally into silence. And while my mom’s breath left her body, as she left us, Tuesday night, new life was breathed into this country that seemed so near death. A country entangled in an un-winnable war on the other side of the earth. A country where countless people are losing jobs, losing homes. A country with an economy rapidly crumbling around us. Tuesday night, I listened to President-elect Obama’s words. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright—tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope. For that is the true genius of America—that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. Hope. Some might say that finding inspiration in words is a fool’s errand. But the proof is in history, in the change that others have brought about due to inspiration—Abraham Lincoln inspired. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired. Jesus Christ inspired. And yes, my mom inspired. So I have hope. I look forward to the future that is ahead of me. I embrace the challenges and hurdles that must be faced. And I find equal inspiration from those who came before… With those who lead me now. |
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