Yes We Can

YES WE CAN...

• be a nation that dreams big and gives the opportunity to all to accomplish those dreams.
• be a nation that can look into the face of every child and truly say "Yes, you can do whatever you put your mind to!"
• be proud that a white boy from California had the amazing opportunity to serve beautiful children in Baltimore City and help them dream big...because we learned on Tuesday night that the "DREAM BIG" ideas he always espoused in his classroom can come true.
• VOTE FOR CHANGE and a new direction.
  
• demand from our nation's leaders that they do better without fear of being killed as in other nations.
• be so excited that we live in the greatest nation in the world. In every way, America is such an awesome place - we are all so blessed and regardless of our political leanings, we should wake up every morning with such thanks in our heart to the Lord for allowing us to be born and/or live in America.

I have had trouble trying to figure out how to truly capture such an historic moment in our nation's history as this. I know many of you who read this are thinking politically and disagree with me - but please, if you can for a moment, switch your view and picture the hundreds of students who used to stare back at me. Some had already lost hope at the age of 13. Others had in their minds already that the color of their skin (all my students were African-American) would absolutely prevent them from achieving great things - or any thing of significance. And while I can't and won't make excuses for some of the behavior I used to see, I know in my heart of hearts that at least one of my students remembered me on Tuesday night and remembered what I always used to say - that "as a black lady or gentleman, you can't just be good, you have to be the best...And you can't just dream small dreams, you have to shoot for the moon!"

While the nation celebrates a national historical day, I celebrate small victories for when I was a teacher in a classroom with amazing kids who now can see somebody like them - who isn't just good, but he is the best. He didn't just dream small dreams, but he shot for the moon and made it.

YES WE CAN!!