My Prayer for Barack Obama
This time next Tuesday, Barack Obama will be our 44th president. As we approach his inauguration, I offer these simple words as a prayer for our next president. My hope is that you'll add your own words.
I pray that you always remember that you are now part of an enduring axis of hope -- tracing from Lincoln to Roosevelt to MLK -- and that we can leave behind the empty rhetoric of recent years.
I pray that you are bold enough to scale the mountain of challenges before us, even as you remember that the years of mistrust and blame run deep, and can only be washed away over time with sound deeds.
I pray that "We, The People" give you the benefit of the doubt when you err and stumble, because you will and we must.
I pray that you remember on your worst day what you said on your best: there is a difference between false hope and authentic hope, and only one is worth fighting for.
I pray that you challenge us to become part of rebuilding our nation, our neighborhoods, our bonds to one another, because this task is fundamentally the work of the people.
I pray that on the historic day when the first African-American man takes the solemn oath of office, that each of us steps forward and makes the solemn commitment to fight hatred, bigotry and prejudice wherever we find it in our midst.
I pray that we realize that you have already served an important purpose, helping all of us recognize what we already knew in our hearts: we must turn away from the ugly politics that too often brought out the worst in us.
I pray that as we welcome you as our next president, we (and you) remember that change often starts at home, in our neighborhood, among us - and that no president alone can fulfill this role.
Now, I pray that you and we Turn ... Turn toward our communities... Turn toward one another.
Yes, now is the time for us to Turn.
Please add your thoughts in the comments.
