Celebration and Tragedy...All Within One Week

What a strange week. Here is more detail surrounding both the celebration and the tragedy:

This week enabled me to be part of history. I was able to be on the mall during President Obama's Inauguration. It was an incredible experience. When else can I say that I was part of a mob of nearly TWO MILLION people, not one of whom was arrested...probably never. Even though people were freezing cold and squeezed together, everyone remained happy. Rather than complaining about the crappy weather, we just focused on what we were about to witness. I can't say there weren't times I was frustrated, but those moments will fade with memory. I kept saying to Greg that Inauguration Day 2009 will be like some of the ridiculous Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell movies - much better in memory than they are during the actual event. I mean, we all have those movies that are much funnier to quote than to watch, right? This event was like one of those. Yes, I couldn't see anything, it was freaking cold, I was squished, I couldn't feel my fingers, and I was frustrated I couldn't get a good picture....but I was there! How cool is that?

Another interesting facet of this experience was just seeing the vast array of people who showed up. There were seriously people from ALL walks of life - young and old, disabled and able-bodied, black and white, asian and middle eastern, reserved and obnoxious...they were all there. I mean, there were TWO MILLION of us. But the whole time I was there, I kept wondering what this must feel like for the African American community. I mean, this is surely an important and memorable day for me, but what was going on in their minds? I would love to know!

As soon as I sort through pictures, I will post some of them on here for you all to enjoy (even if solely for the fact of realizing that you most definitely witnessed more than me while sipping tea and sitting on your warm couch facing the television).

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, George Washington University experienced the death of a student today. She was only 19. Young deaths are always hard for me to bear, and make me ponder my own life like nothing else in this world. They always make me ask the hard questions like: Am I making the most of my time in this world? Am I truly living up to my potential? What is really important to me? Am I spending my time focused on those most important things? Have my priorities been shaped by the values of the world at large rather than the values I hold in my heart? Am I really headed in the right direction?...and many many others.

I just hope that some of the reflection that happens inside my head this time truly enables me to sit down and focus on what's important, rather than whining about things of a lesser matter.

This week truly was a cause for celebration and reflection with events from both ends of the spectrum.