I know, I know…I should be coming down from this high, but I can’t. I refuse, how about that? Even through the fog of the bug that I’ve been fighting for over a week, I reveled in the glory of the Inauguration and the spirit of the day. It was just a beautiful, moving experience…one that I took in at work (more on this later).

I also am not one of those folks who subscribe to the belief that now that we have a President who is Black, that racism is defunct and non-existent. I don’t believe that President Obama’s presence in the White House will solve this country’s long history of racial divide or heal the wounds that are deep and piercing. Some of those wounds cannot be healed. What I do believe is that, if we are willing, this does give us the opportunity to begin something new. To write a new chapter. But it is going to require open-mindedness and for all of us to give up some of those beliefs that we used to have.

I was at work on Tuesday and I was disturbed because NO recognition was made of the Inauguration at all. Now mind you, I didn’t expect the place to shut down while it was going on…no. But for those people who perhaps wanted to watch, there was absolutely nothing said or done to even address it. I watched it in my office on the ‘net, and invited people on their breaks to come in and view it if they wanted to. I guess not everyone recognized this as a historical moment, or even cared. I say that not because of who, but because of what. I don’t care who you voted for, recognize the moment, is all I’m saying. End of my rant.

This past week, I heard that bloated fool say (I will not mention his name here) that he hoped President Obama fails. And then I heard him backtrack to say that he supported President Obama, but didn’t support his policies. Well, here’s what I think…I didn’t support some of President Bush’s policies either, but I never hoped he failed. Because failure meant the end of the country. And to wish failure on an incoming President is highly unpatriotic, I think. I don’t care how you try to spin it, how you try to paint it a different color…failure is not an option.

If there is one thing this election season has taught us, it is that we can impact what happens. We cannot rest; we must remain active and continue to be engaged and participate in growing and positively influencing our communities. So this Sunday, I thought I would issue my pledge. These are the things that I make a commitment to do to hold up my part of the bargain with this movement of change.

I pledge to:

• volunteer time in my community (at least 1 hour twice a week).
• start cooking nutritious meals at home for me and my son more often than going out.
• show kindness to strangers
• use paper, not plastic…and then recycle.
• be of service to this country and to our President…in whatever way that means.