A New Start for America

Forty-Fourth President of the United States of America, Barack Obama said, “Greatness is never a given. It must be earned.”

It is a new start in the ‘remaking’ of America, a young country, whose time it is to ‘set aside childish things.’

At a time when the world cringes at the hopelessness of financial disaster and recession, everyone might be expecting Obama to miraculously turn it all around. Challenges that are triply real, serious and many, do not sway the new President whose tactics converge with both hope and purpose, not fear and discord.

He calls back to the great challenges of history, where forebears met equally monumental threats including fascism and communism. He honours the battling travellers who now call America home and the toilers and soldiers who’ve fought to make her the country he sees today.

Peace through ‘mutual interest and mutual respect’ is offered the Muslim world; build and we will thrive together--destroy and you shall be remembered for nothing. In America, the poor countries will find an advocate. The calling now is of a spirit of ‘humble gratitude,’ citizenship, and no less. God’s call: to shape the destiny.

Less than sixty short years ago this President’s father would not have been sanctioned to eat at a restaurant--now, his son takes this most sacred oath.

And in the depth of another winter, both hope and virtue remain, as the eyes of a nation focus on the horizon and the journey ahead, not daunted to leave yet another legacy of survival for the country’s children’s children to marvel at, like those present do at those who’ve gone.

Respect is earned in the pit of hard work, the ‘giving of our all to a difficult task.’ And will Government do it all? No sir-ee!

“It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job, which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.”

For all to be equal, all to be free, and for all to deserve their opportunities at happiness, all must plough the hard earth. We will do it together.

Welcome President Obama!

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.