My "Yes, We Can" Memory

As President Obama's time in office is nearing it's close, all we can do is sit together and share the feels. The White House put out a video today of people sharing their most memorable moments from his time with us.

I watched the whole lot of "Obama moments" above, and I felt so many feels. I am grateful for the chance I had to experience the election of our first black President and the incredible history that followed over the span of eight years. In the midst of all the troubles in our world, I can truly say of his time in office "What a time to be alive!"

I don't know that I can choose a single moment that epitomized the "yes, we can" spirit, but if I had to choose one, the day of Obama's inauguration might be it. Although he had won the election, watching him sworn in on the day that his presidency began was evidence of the fact that this was really happening. A black man was really and truly going to occupy the White House and lead our country.

When I was a little girl, I went through a whole host of things I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a doctor, a singer, an actress, a writer, a fashion designer, and probably a number of other things that have since escaped my memory. One particular aspiration I had was to be the president.

In third and fourth grade I had determined that I would be both the first black president and the first woman president of the United States. Even at that age, there were those classmates who thought the idea was laughable or impossible. And although I attended a predominantly (very very) white school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was completely unphased by the doubters or the cultural/political landscape at that time. Less than ten years later we had our first serious contender for a black president. Imagine that! It wasn’t me, but that was okay. By that time I was in high school. I was riding on the wave of excitement surrounding Obama's campaign. In fact, the election coincided with school elections for class officers. Naturally, I ran for president. My sort of inside joke with close friends was that my very white school would get its first black president at the same time as our country. Although I did not win my election, President Obama won his, and from that very day, our country was instantly and forever changed.

I no longer have a desire to be president (although Mrs. Obama has certainly has compelled me to wonder if I might make a good First Lady). However, when I look back on the all the #YesWeCan moments Obama has shared with us, I am inspired to be like him in some way. I will always admire the grace and courage with which he approached every issue and the steadfast resolve with which he stood for everyday people and future generations.