Dear Mr. President

Well, well, well. As so many news pundits are wont to say this morning, this is an historical moment for the USA. The people have spoken and Barack Obama will be the 44th president of these United States. Here is my letter to him.

Dear President Elect Obama,

Please, oh please, having asked for and received it, prove yourself worthy of this country's faith in you. Consider always the legacy that you are leaving your children – understand that there are now far more than two for whom you are responsible. Be ever mindful that there are no great men, only ordinary men doing great things. Govern with your head, but guide with your heart - show balance in each decision. Measure your words and weigh your actions as both cause ripples that go far beyond your end of the pond. Constantly seek enlightenment and empathy - they are lanterns that will guide you down even the darkest path. Nosce te ipsum. Know yourself. Be true to yourself. Take good care of yourself. You cannot lead others without first possessing self-control and personal accountability. Selflessness lies unborn lest we first acknowledge self - a quality is not always an asset. Be like the willow; bend with the wind, but do not be bowed – in the words of Lao Tsu, “perseverance furthers.” In all things, strive to be a man of honor – nobility cannot be acquired, but comes from the inner strength that is born of diligence and humility. Accept, adapt, move on – a brick wall is an opportunity to dig under, go over, or around – be unflagging in your efforts. Although these sound like pedestrian words consider the deeper meaning: Stand tall. Speak clearly.

Finally, thank you for taking such a tremendously large step. I can’t imagine what that effort has already required of you on a personal level, much less what it will continue to require of you. I am eager to see what the next four years will bring for all of us – to say that change is necessary is a ridiculous understatement. In my own life, exacting change has both cost me and rewarded me and I don’t imagine that precept to be any different on a global level. Whether I agree with you or not, I support you.

Looking forward,
Barb