DAY 1!!!!

*lots of typos... but its 3 am!!!

(Precursor: there is a big thank you and a great many things I would love to post about the trip here, but I want to sleep and this may take a while!)

Ok, so I know we said we were gonna update this more, but, it's so hard to tear ourselves away from the activities!!! So, anyways, what to write about here.... Well, I could write about who was here at the concert I went to, but seriously, you could get that info anywhere (and probably watch the videos on you-tube). I think I instead, would like to tell you what it was like to be here.

As soon as we got here 4 people left to go stay with friends in the area and the rest of us began to plan out today and what was going to happen. (I think I probably wen to bed around... oh, say, 2 or 3 am.)

I awoke this morning a little late with 3 members already gone off to reserve their seats for the concert. (I honestly haven't talk to any of them yet so who knows how that went, but that comes later anyway.) Ben had and old friend who lived in town and had offered to have us over for brunch and show us around a bit. So the remaining 11 of us headed out, 4 or 5 -was never quite sure of the exact number- with plans to head to the Smithsonian while the rest of us went for brunch with Ben's friend.

The Smithsonian group ended up deciding mid-train that they would instead come with us. So, we showed up with a group of 11 instead of the original estimate of about 6... Randy, Ben's friend, seemed at first a little surprised, but none-the-less happy to see us and welcome us. However, I get the feeling that some people felt they were imposing on us or would have just rather gone sightseeing and everyone left other then me and Ben. So, we, along with Josh and John, two of Randy's friends, were invited to Randy's girlfriend's, Kate's, house for brunch! I was amazed at the kindness that this stranger would show me! But that's just the general feel of today's events. After brunch we said goodbye to John who had to return to New York and couldn't stay for the festivities and made our way to the National Mall to see the concert.

We got there just in time!

It was held at the Lincoln Memorial and we were crossing the street (coming from the other side) to the Washington Monument Just as the National Anthem begun. We found seats on the other side of the Washington Monument at the top of the hill. I nice seat considering we didn't go early. after attempting to get a few shot of the amassed crowds, me and Josh decided to head down into the crowd to see if we could get closer.

This was the part that I will remember for ever. Josh lead the way through the first part. He would break through the crowds by simply putting a had on their shoulder or back and politely asking to pass. Normally, this kind of unexpected touch by a complete stranger in this big of a crowd would startle a person. I expected jeers and leers every time he did it. Yet, he was always greeted with a smile or 'of course' or simple someone moving aside as much as was possible in the compacted throng of people. Some people even joined our little train as everyone just wanted to be near the festivities.

The crowd would be silent as guest speakers took the stage and liven back up as a performer came on to sing. We seemed to ebb and flow with the crowd, moving forward with the music, still and listening with patriotism in heart during the speeches. We ended our progress when we reached the WWII memorial as we were told the security check points had been closed off at the start of the show.

We instead back tracked to the road just prior it. there on the close side of the road, cement barriers were placed and people perched precariously upon them, hopeful of a glimpse of the stage that encouraged America to celebrate as one, to celebrate HOPE. We manged to get a turn on the barrier to take photos and we took them not only of the stage in front, but of endless swarm of fellow Americans behind, content to look at the jumbo-trons or brave climbing a tree.
When I was atop it looking around, if someone had told me there was a million people at that concert, I would not have doubted it. In fact, I later argued it.

Finally, we decided that it was time to return to our friends. we made our way back, snapping random photos along the way. I remember Jack Black, along with someone else I wasn't sure of from my position, coming on as we neared the Washington Monument again, and he ended with the line (not an exact quote), "and if you were to drive across this country and turn on your radio, this is what you would hear:" at which point Garth Brooks came on and played American Pie and Shout. I will always remember that moment as well. People of all colors, and lifestyles could be heard singing along to both songs. At that moment, it truly did feel like we were celebrating not just as a crowd at a concert but as a country facing a bright future.

I returned to my friends where we randomly met up with Heath, Sarah and Amanda almost randomly. We took photos of us with the stage in the background, not so much for memories as we could never forget this, but to try and relay to others what our experience was.

Then President-Elect Obama took the stage. He spoke in his plain and simple way. He spoke of what I had felt earlier, of people of all race, from all states, all religions, gay or straight coming together. I know, that when I return home and have the time I will rewatch today's broadcast and I will find that exact line and it will be the quote that expresses my feelings for the event.

I tell you now, that on Nov. 4th 2008 when he was elected to be the 44th president of this great nation, I ufortunatly missed both Sen. John McCain's concession speach and President-Elect Barack Obama's acceptance speach as I rolled around outside on the ground hugging my friend in jubulent celebration. I later watched these on the internet (more then once), and cried as one great man gracefully admitted defeat and urged some of his more ignorant followers that Obama was a worthy President. And, I cried as another great man calmly accepted his nation's request that he lead them through a dark time with the ever-bright light of hope.

And as I stood there in our nation's capital listening to President-Elect Obama put words to my very thoughts, I was on verge of tears yet again. I remember at the end of the speach, as I stood there with tears of joy that have been there far too few times in my life, Ben crouched down and took a photo of me. Part of me did not want the photo taken. I was a man and not to cry. However, I thought to myself, 'screw it, we are on the precipice of a new age,' and let him shoot away. That photo will be long cherished by me.

-
Reverand Jacob Lee Blackwell
Three minutes after three o'clock A.M.
January the nineteenth of the year two-thousand nine
'A time of celebration'