Change revealed ... Hope renewed

I was drawn to Barack Obama through his words, his intellect and his compassion. He inspired us with two words really : hope and change. We are desperate for both. Interesting to consider, that these concepts of hope and change are as broad as they are narrow. Each citizen has a unique idea of what hope and change mean to them. Each can internalize these broad concepts to make them personal. Obama reached out to us as a mass citizen base with a very personal promise. A broad concept with a narrow vision. He embraced all of it and in doing so, acknowledged each one of us. That is why we elected him. He represents our personal hope and private yearning for change...

His inaugural address, gracefully advanced us from a euphoric idea to a measurable goal. Hope will be tactile and change will be visible. Barack Obama defined our greatness as a nation, encouraging us to find confidence in our historic strength. He leads us, now to a pragmatic energy. In order to deliver on the promise of hope and change, we - as American citizens as well as our government, must now define change, visualize hope, work for it and fight for it. We can no longer just want it.

Some have criticized his speech today, saying it was not "lofty" therefore less inspiring. I disagree. I celebrate its pragmatism. I am ready to realize the hope and create the change :

"For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people on which this nation relies."

I am proud to hear Obama honor the ordinary citizen as the great American, crediting him with the greatness of our country :

"Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom."

I applaud his willingness to publicly face our shortcomings, our failures, our mistakes :

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works."

For there is no shame in making a mistake there is only shame in denying it. If we want to affect change, we have to truly see the present, understand the shortfall, creatively solve the problem and rebuild.

I acknowledge the challenge and struggle before us, and I am comforted by the unity to face it :

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work or remaking America."

Great accomplishments are rarely achieved in solitude. We must get back to actively helping each other. We must agree on the goal, transcend the differences and unite to achieve. We need to harness the boundless talent and creativity in this country and abroad. We need to celebrate it and deploy it.

Today, on behalf of America, Barack Obama addressed the world :

"America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity; we are ready to lead once more."

Obama will first focus us to simplify our thinking, neutralize our perspective and anchor our respect for basic human rights as we approach solutions for global conflict, suffering and prosperity. History is relevant only for its lessons. It, in and of itself is not a reason to hate or kill. Obama reminded those who fight first to :

"know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."

War will likely continue, somewhere on the planet, as we move through this stage of enlightenment, compassion and change but what I heard today, is that America will first diligently try to reason before we activate bloodshed in the name of freedom :

"We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

The power and might of American ideals was renewed today:

"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."

Our willingness to go to war has fueled a divisive ambiguity of our goals and aspirations as a world leader who proclaims peaceful democracy and a protector of freedom. It has weakened us as a nation and as a leader. In an attempt to protect our own boundaries we have invaded others. We have become occupiers not facilitators, robbing communities of their sovereign dignity and for the first time bringing about a question of how important these American ideals really are. Our actions have made the world wonder if there is a crack in the armor. We are vulnerable. Today, I heard a renewed commitment to eradicate that vulnerability and once again make known the character of our nation. We reclaimed our singular and unwavering focus to protect freedom and support democracy.

"Our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please"

The humility of these words makes them profound and powerful. Obama reminds us that we have a responsibility to demonstrate the greatness of our country through the greatness of our acts. We must be generous with our ideals through our respect for the ideals of others. We must strive to understand differences while we work to peacefully incorporate them. If and when we develop a sense of entitlement, due to our power, we will immediately be diminished. Our unity will disappear, our trust will fade and our confusion will divide. Power is earned but it is fragile.

I was encouraged and in fact excited to envision the "world" as a common place for all of us. A place that we inhabit together. A place that embraces human and geographic potential. A place that celebrates differences and works together to create opportunity rather than conflict. A world where boundaries are used to create and nurture peaceful communities, not destroy them :

"as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."

The only thing greater than the hope of a common, distinctly beautiful humanity is the realization of it. America the Humanitarian is more important to me than America the Beautiful. But if we can accomplish this, we will have accomplished both...