To Remember

I want to remember today.  I want to remember:

• taking off 3 hours in the middle of a work day simply to witness;
• my respect for George W. Bush, whatever my disagreements with his administration, as I saw the honest smile reaching his eyes as the history of the civil rights movement is invoked in recognizing this moment;
• Obama visibly straightening his shoulders during the invocation;
• Malia taking a picture of her Dad as he gives his first speech as President;
• the humor of the oath being taken a few minutes after noon, despite all the warnings that it had to be taken before noon, and of the Chief Justice and Obama having to correct a line Roberts got wrong;
• Tuskegee Airmen and other veterans of a segregated military witnessing the first African American commander in chief take office;
• watching it again in the evening, and tearing up again.

I watched, and I believed.