A Brother Abroad

From every news airing to newspaper, the coverage of Barak Obama's assent to the presidency is almost as unprecedented as the very fulfillment of his office. Given the history making achievement, coupled with the Abraham Lincoln emulated inaugural train ride and the timing in relation to Martin Luther King Day, symbolism abounds and cannot be lost on anyone, least of all the media.

If you haven't had a chance to read Obama's letter to his daughters (and to all American children), the moment and all the great expectations that come with it are not lost on the president-elect either. While the letter echoes the emotions of both Lincoln and King, it is also very much in the tone we've come to expect from Obama and his call for change, hard work, and a committment to our country. A call that is not at all lost on me. It is as much a responsibilty we owe to our children as it is a debt we owe to our fallen soldiers. In it he writes:

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

Regardless of who you voted for, our country has reached a pivotal chapter in its history and while our children and grandchildren will learn all about it in their future history classes, may they also learn of this great privilege they've inherited from America's bravest sons and daughters.

This is Day 5.