A historic day
As I watched the inauguration ceremony today there was a sense of hope, a sense of optimism.
As President Obama said, 60 years ago his father would not be served in restaurants, but today his son became the 44th President of the United States of America. This shows that we have made great progress and I believe many of us share the hope that we will continue to move forward.
Today, January 20,2009, is an important day full of consequence for the world. It is a day that we will all remember for the balance of our lives. As an old friend once said to me: “One day the door will open and the future will walk in.” The future came through the door at noon today in Washington. Good luck President Obama.
There is also some sadness in the day as I must say goodbye to Ambassador David Wilkins and his wife Susan.
The Ambassador was an exceptional Diplomat who served his country and Canada well with his open folksy charm and quick wit. From the south, he never quite warmed up to our climate. One day he mentioned that he understood and was quite prepared to enjoy a white Christmas, but he did not expect a white Easter.
Over the past four years Ambassador Wilkins and his wife Susan have become good friends and both Colleen and I will miss them and wish them all the best.