Lev Lazinskiy

The Inauguration

We were on stand by in the hospital all day long today in case anything happened downtown during the Inauguration. It was a long boring day, and luckily nothing happened at all. I have been looking forward to this day for a long time. We have suffered through a lot these last 8 years and I knew that once Obama took the oath the whole country could give big sigh of relief and look forward to the great changes to come.

I never imagined that It would be like it was today. Shortly after lunch the whole 2nd floor of my hospital crowded in front of the flat screen tv in front of the lab and watched the events unfold. From the moment that the speaker was on the stage you could sense a feeling of anticipation, hope, and excitement. When Arethra Franklin got up there and sang that song I swear my heart skipped a beat. She redefined the way that the song is meant to be heard and she did a hell of job.

When Mr. Obama was finally taking his oath the whole entire hospital seemed to be silent. We clinched onto every word that he said even though those same words have been spoken so many times before. For some reason when he said those words in a way they gained new meaning. After his oath the crowd erupted in applause and cheer. We knew that today is the day that this country can finally leave behind the mistakes of the past and move forward with determination and confidence.

The sight on the TV was awesome, it left me speechless. Never in my life have I seen so many people in one place. The best part is no one was protesting. They were all happy and excited to be there. They were are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of history and they truly embodied the spirit of the American people. There are not many places in this world where peaceful transitions of power take place. The fact that we are able to do that here in the United States of America is a testimony to the freedom that we have and the power of our ballot.

Listening to the Speech that Obama gave really gave me hope for the future. It is not easy being in the military in a time of war. Your future and the future of your shipmates is left in the air. We never know where we are going to go and what we are going to do. Many have lost their lives in these two wars and it would be a shame to see their sacrifices go to waste. Obama’s speech gave me hope that their lives were not wasted. That even though we may have dropped the ball for a while and let the situation in the middle east slip out of control. Now that all will change. Now we have a leader that will make the right decisions. Now we have a leader that will get us out of the quicksand that we have been trapped in for the last 8 years. Now we have a leader that is able to make the changes that we need in order to move forward as a country!

Obama is a wonderful public speaker. His words inspired me and I am sure they inspired millions around the world. I am so excited to see what is going to happen with this new administration. And I am proud as hell to serve in the United States Navy with Barack Obama as my Commander in Chief.