He showed us what true love
looks like.
He showed us that both swagger
and humility could co-exist.
He showed us that you could be
the leader of the free world AND have a wicked jumpshot.
He showed us how to look cool in
a pair of shades, under the glare of white hot lights.
He moved us with his intellect.
He dazzled us with his elegance.
He challenged us with his
audacity. He inspired us with his optimism.
But most of all, he served. He
represented. He got in the arena. And he fought.
Someday, I hope to tell stories
to my grandchildren about this great man.
I hope they will marvel at my seemingly tall tales and find it remarkable that I got to see him in his prime. As if I was alive when dinosaurs walked the
earth.
Next to a framed poster of him beside
Dr. King and Malcolm X, I’ll talk about the awesome speeches he gave. Like
the way we reminisce about Jordan’s Flu Game and AI’s crossover.
Like that time at the DNC in ’04
when he said “in no other country on
earth is my story even possible” and a nation started to believe.
Like that time in Philadelphia
in ’08 where he gave a speech on race, saying “out of many, we are truly one” and a nation began to understand.
Or that time in 2015 at a Eulogy
in South Carolina when he said “out of
this unspeakable tragedy, God has visited Grace upon us. For he has allowed us
to see where we’ve been blind”. And then he sang “Amazing Grace” and an entire
nation smiled through its tears.
He always said that he was an
imperfect messenger. A flawed human who would do his best, but would occasionally make mistakes and sometimes let us down.
He warned us that the change we
wanted to see in the world would have to come from us, not him.
As usual, he was right. And that is why his imperfections made him perfect.
In his farewell address, Barack Obama said “my fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you”. Well I say, right back at you sir, it has been the honor of my life to call you my President.
In his farewell address, Barack Obama said “my fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you”. Well I say, right back at you sir, it has been the honor of my life to call you my President.
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