Historic Day

Something Has Changed

The nature of the day demands even my small comment. During the coverage last night, Judy Woodruff of PBS, reported from Grant Park in Chicago that there was something more than joyous elation in victory making its way through the huge crowd gathered to hear President Elect Obama's speech. Ms. Woodruff identified the something more as a sense of AWE. I would add that it was awe born of the tremendous import of what happened in our nation yesterday. It was the result of recognizing the poignant meaning of the election results. They were the fruit of the long, hard fought campaign for civil rights in our country and, at long last, the interior conversion of many a heart. The thoughtfulness, dignity, intelligence and perfect pitch of voice and demeanor seem to have been the instruments of conversion. Unfortunately, our current financial crisis was also, I believe, instrumental in Obama's victory. There is nothing like being brought to ones knees, nothing like hitting bottom to propel movement to a new way of thinking. Barack Obama may be the man for our time. Let us pray that the gifts of wisdom and compassion be given him in abundance and that he and his family be protected as they serve our nation.