I have a dream...

Today is a wonderful day. It is not only the Inauguration of President Obama's second term, but it is also Martin Luther King Jr. day. His words and actions have inspired millions, if at the very least, inspired them to think about THEIR dream for the country, for their families, for their futures. While getting some morning cuddles in with HB, I got to thinking about my Dream, about the world I hope he gets to grow up in. 

So here is MY DREAM

I have a dream...

That we will live in a nation...

Not driven by fear, but instead by inspiration.

That we will live in a nation...

Who's greed is not more powerful than it's compassion.

That we will live in a nation...

Led not by those seeking more power, but those seeking more equality.

That we will live in a nation...

Where enthusiasm and excitement are nurtured, not smothered by doubt.

That we will live in a nation...

Where opportunities are not just for the privileged, but for those with the passion and courage to take hold of them.

That we will live in a nation...

Committed to empowering each and every individual to thrive, to succeed, and to be happy, knowing that the stronger we are as individuals, as families, and as communities, the stronger we will be as a country.  

That we will live in a nation...

Where every person is free to love who they love openly as any others do. 

That we will live in a nation...

Full of schools who educate young people on diversity, acceptance, and respect. Knowing that bullying and abuse is an unnecessary evil in our world. 

That we will live in a nation...

Who embraces our differences and allows the awareness of those around us to enrich who we are as a global community. 

That we will live in a nation...

With a culture of unity, of peace, and of security and comfort. 

I know. This is truly a far-fetched dream. That I may be naive or perhaps idealistic to think we can have all of this. But this is it, my dream for the kind of place I want my son to grow up in. I suppose it's more of an illustration of the world I want to grow my family in. 

With that understanding and acceptance that this all can't happen overnight, and in fact may never happen at all, I realize just how important my job as a parent is. 

I will do my best to instill these ideas in our daily lives. 

I will create an environment that embodies all of our dreams right here at home. 

So that at the very least, for some bit of time every single day, we will be living our dream, so that when we leave our home, and go to school or go to work, we are full of all of the love, and enthusiasm, and respect and excitement that we need to carry on knowing that we are living our lives fully, just the way we want. This is the true meaning of, "living the dream."

This one's for you kid.

Happy 6 months since you burst into this messy world.