Thoughts on the Inauguration of Barack Obama

I have been close to tears many times today, and I am too old to just wallow in my emotions on this important occasion. I keep telling myself that I must have something intelligent to say.
I started to figure this out when speaking with Charlie, the young training guy at the Ironworkers' local where we rent office space. Charlie and I have attended some AFL-CIO functions together and I like him. I think I might remind him of his mother.
I confessed to Charlie today that I have been unable to fully embrace any candidate since MLK was assasinated. I was devastated by the assasination of JFK, but at the age of 12 I was too young to really understand the depth of that loss.
Later, though, I gave my heart to Bobby Kennedy and to Martin Luther King and their murders took me out at the knees. I could not fathom living in a culture that would allow such good men to be slaughtered. The 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago struck a huge blow against my idealism, and Kent State pretty much nailed the coffin shut on my political passion in 1970.
To put this in perspective: John Kennedy was assasinated 1 month before my 13th birthday and the National Guard killed those four Kent State students when I was 19. In those six years we lost JFK, RFK, MLK, innocent college kids, thousands of GI's in VietNam, and trust in our government. We acquired Tricky Dick and Watergate.
Talk about formative years...it just gets better and better. Take into account my hugely un-original baby boomer demographic and multiply me by hundreds of thousands. No wonder we have problems with commitment.
At the same time, you have to remember that we started out as the most idealistic of the dreamers. My whole high school graduation speech was based on the opening lines of "The Age of Aquarius" from "Hair," for crying out loud. You remember, "When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets, and love will steer the stars." I can't speak for the whole generation, but my personal intent was certainly to change the world.
Anyway, since 1970 I have remained committed to a liberal, labor-and-family-friendly political agenda, but I have held back from true commitment to any candidate.
Until today. I gave Barack Obama my support in July, when Hillary told me I had to. I gave him my money and my rally presence shortly after, and I gave him my vote in November.
Today, I gave him my heart. I did it fearfully. There are many angry and violent people out there and I somehow fear that if we embrace him we also endanger him.
I now realize that my personal investment will not doom our new president. I cannot share in the triumphs if I don't take the chances.
So, President Obama, here I am. I will do my share with enthusiasm if you will lead with dedication and vision. There are many thousands of us who have been waiting for a long, long time...