Yes We Can!

It was eight years ago this past November, driving home from a gathering of friends in Seattle's Pioneer Square, as June and I drove up 1st Avenue very near Pike Street Market, that we saw crowds spilling out into the streets celebrating the presidential election results. The crowd was mainly young, exuberant, loud, joyful, perhaps even heady wild. As we snaked our way up the street, we were high-fives  and June, window down, returned every gesture. The world was excited with promise!

Tonight I heard a farewell address. No, far more than an address. I heard a call, a call to everyone of us, reminding us who we are and for what we as a people stand.

And again, the promise "Yes, We Can!" rang out as it did eight years ago, not only clear, not only as just a slogan, but now as almost a national mantra. "Yes, We Can" - - a call to the best of this nation.

I for one want to rehear this address every year, every year at least for the next four years, on every January 20th, to recall who and what we are and what this nation is and yet can be. And, yes, I want my children and their children and their children's children to hear and respond, "Yes, We Can!"

Thank you, Barack Obama, for calling out the best of this country and its people tonight. Thank you for bidding us farewell, at least as our current leader, for giving us a presidency of grace, a presidency of principle, a presidency of strength, and a presidency of right-ness.

Thank you.