Living History

Photo by Nayda Pirela

“All things are possible if you only believe”

I often wonder what things that have happened or are happening in my lifetime, will actually make the American history books.  What great event, or series of events will be highlighted and taught to the generations to come. I can think of a few that will make the history books. Each generation has its standouts. For me it would have to be the election of the first black president.  I always wanted to share something truly historic with my children…….this was my opportunity.

My mother use to always tell us that the word “can’t” wasn’t in the dictionary. Can’t wasn’t even a real word and guess what – I believed her for a long time.  We were seldom permitted to even speak that word. Do you think that she, like so many other mothers, fathers, and grandparents knew intuitively that THIS day would come?  I remember marching during the civil right era and singing “we shall overcome” as I walked beside my mother who would often sing with such passion – such conviction that even I would start to believe that yes, all things are possible if you only believe.  All my Sunday school lessons about having faith and believing in things that are “not seen” believing in things that are greater than oneself…… all the many years of struggle and seemingly defeat; all the times I was denied something that I knew I deserved….each memory of feeling dejected and treated less  than rushed up to the forefront of my brain and tears washed my tired soul as I watched this 47 year old black man stand up in victory as the 44th president elect of the United States of America.  The whole United States!!!!!  The word ELECT stands out in that sentence  for me because, on some level, that represents a certain acceptance, a certain acknowledgment that a black man (someone that looks like me) can and was preferred to be the leader of the free world!!!  Looking at it through my eyes, ”My American Experience”, this was something just short of a miracle! My heart started beating overtime from the moment he accepted the Democratic Party nomination as the Party’s representative for the office of the President of the United States of America.

From that moment on it seems I was holding my breath…. Too scared to hope to much, too scared to believe that maybe this time would be different as he proclaimed YES WE CAN.  Where else in this world is the reality of Barack’s dream possible – NO WHERE!  That’s one of the great things about our country – things that you only dream of are, in fact, possible!  Obama’s win was validation to all those parents who told us that anything was possible.

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream rooted in the American dream.”*

“With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”

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As I sat glued to the TV on election night watching the election results, I thought about my mother and father who I wish I could have shared the experience with. I even said out loud, in shear amazement, “You were right!!!!!” and come to think of it, mothers are right about a lot of things.  She was right to force me never to say can’t, never to give up.  After all the years of hoping and praying and marching and believing, the time had finally arrived.

The day is January 20, 2009.  Crystal clear day – not a cloud in the sky.  Temperature frigid!! Could hardly sleep the night before in anticipation of the next day’s events. Maya and I made plans, digging out our heaviest coats, finding scarves and gloves and tights and socks – layers and layers of clothes….putting together snacks – we were going to be a part of history!!! The plan was to leave at 5:30am. We needed to park the car at the train station and get downtown before the sun came up. Couldn’t even eat that morning – nervous, excited, hoping things would go alright that nothing would happen to stop this history making event.  We arrived just as the sun was coming up – darkness giving way to dawn.  The temperature was a mere 19 degrees  as we made our way towards the mall to find a spot by a tree to hopefully cuddle and stay warm.  Sleeping bags in tow we walked along with thousands of others chattering and looking for just the right spot. We weren’t privileged enough to have tickets to be inside somewhere. It didn’t matter. Hunkering down for the long wait we settled into our spot. Pretty soon others joined us. There were two young girls near us probably late teens or early twenties.  The younger of the girls didn’t have much clothing on. I admonished her sister about bringing her out not being properly dressed. Maya and I tried to keep her warm – our bodies pressing close to hers. Finally around 9am they opened part of the Smithsonian. When I tried to get up off the ground I realized that I couldn’t even feel my feet. Walking was painful and extremely difficult. We left our spot by the tree to try to get inside even if it was just for a few minutes. Maya and I found a little corner and when I looked over, Maya was stretched out on her back sleeping. My heart was so full and so joyful. We were together, we had each other. Amidst the thousands of people we held on to each other not wanting to take a chance on getting separated. In the comfort and warmth of that historic building, we found a space of refuge.  It wasn’t until sometime after noon that the temperature reached 28 degrees and the time had finally arrived. We stood, along with thousands of others, looking up at the jumbo teletron screen as the announcement came……

“It is my honor to introduce you to the President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama”  What joy came over me.

And so it was……

*Excerpts from “I have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr