Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Patriotism

It's the end of a long historic and I am trying to soak all this in. I am amazed to watch not just a country but a whole world celebrate a moment that symbolizes hope. I am a bit of a pessimist and wonder if we will all be feeling this way a few months from now. At least Obama's words reflected the idea that there is still so much that needs to be done.

However, the thing that struck me most about today was how oddly patriotic I felt. I remember how sad but unified the country felt after 9/11. Most of my memories of the U.S. coming together all seems to be in tragedy. My personal most patriotic moment in my life was actually at a preseason 49ers game in August of 1990. Like most preseason games, I really don't remember who the 49ers opponent was nor do I care about the score. What stands out was that days earlier, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Usually there is no pomp and circumstance to preseason games; however, the pregame festivities were a bit out of the norm. At this point in my life, I had already been attending Niner games for over a decade. For some odd reason, the military came out and unrolled the huge American flag that covers the entire football field--that flag usually only comes out on specific holidays or significant playoff games. Candlestick Park was nearly filled to capacity, again atypical for a preseason game albeit the Niners did win the Super Bowl the season before. During the national anthem, the singer started but soon I couldn't hear the projected voice, but the collective voice of nearly 60,000 people. I can't remember ever hearing Candlestick coming to sing the Star Spangled Banner together. The voice was solemn and in unison and ready to break with tension. I looked around and saw many of the 49er Faithful with tears running down their cheeks. Even though I grew up as military as I could get without being military, since both my grandfathers were in the army, I never felt my heart stiffen with pride in being American. Though five months later, my classmates would be wondering if it was possible we could be drafted, and I started having flashbacks about learning about all the different kinds of nuclear warheads that were made in middle school despite the Berlin Wall having already fallen, on that one day, I understood what it meant to be a part of 60,000 patriots.

So when I am viewing the scenes of the mall during today's inauguration and estimated what almost 2,000,000 people were feeling together, I couldn't even comprehend how that one memory I had could pale in number and significance. In all my recollection, I can't even imagine our country unified in celebration. I know this is just a beginning and I don't know what actual change may occur, but the promise of a new day is exciting. I just hope we know what to do with all of these expectations and temper them with a sense of perspective.

aside:
Patriotic moment #3
My brother and I did get selected to hold the flag on Opening Day in a couple of years ago at a Giants game.

Patriotic moment #4
Leading the Pledge at my high school graduation and not screwing it up...

Patriotic moment #5
The first game back after 9/11 at a Giants game.

*
When I first really began to understand what America stood for...my grandfather's funeral when I was 10. I had never seen him dressed as a soldier and there he was dressed in military formals when I said my final goodbye. The moment didn't feel truly significant until the folded the flag and the rifles fired off in salute to his memory.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

10 Years Later


Take a look at us 10 years later. I still have the most hair.... ha ha ha!



Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Happy Birthday Lance!


To my brother Lance... happy birthday... (imagine listening to Rey's song)
I really wish I had it.