Remember, remember, the 4th of November ... 2008.

A very important day in history. A day some thought they'd never live to see - some thought they'd never see in this lifetime. But it's happened, we've elected our 44th President of the United States. And that president just so happens to be African-American.


My president is Black.


Who would have thought it? Yes, we all wanted change and we all so desperately believed it would happen ... but for it to actually unfold right before our eyes? Mind boggling. I spent the better part of the evening watching the Election Night 2008 coverage at Bar 1331 in Washington DC. After discovering that my Polymers exam that was scheduled for the next day was canceled, I had to go out amongst like minded people. It's a cozy space, and they had themed food and refreshments (my favorite being the right wings and left wings, heh) with people mingling around on laptops, on cell phones - but all eyes kept going back to the big screens strategically placed around the bar.

It was nerve wracking. The anxiety was electrifying, and when the polls started being tallied it just increased in fervor. When Obama was (un)officially declared the next president, it was all anti-climatic for me. Just like .. "oh, he won, yay." For such a big election I wanted them to drag it out ... make us suffer ... and then have a huge announcement at the end. But with the landslide victory with which he won I knew that wasn't going to happen. As the screen travelled over the seas of expectant, crying, overjoyed faces ... I wondered why I didn't feel that.

I didn't feel that. There were no tears from me - until now. As I sit here and write this, the magnitude of what has transpired less than 24 hours ago has finally hit me. My president is Black. My president looks just like me. Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th president of the United States. The change we so eagerly wanted ... is the change we're going to get. The tears keep streaming down my face when I think of how different this nation will be. I was a part of a major moment in history - and when I tell my children they can be anything they want to be, they'll know it's the truth.