My Prayer for Barack

I watched the inauguration of President Obama with hope in my heart and a prayer on my lips. Like thousands of others, I pray that our new president will lead us out of this quagmire of a shattered economy and a shattered world reputation. I pray that he will surround himself with wise counsel and continue to make decisions in his very deliberate, well thought out and graceful manner. And I also pray for Barack Obama, the man, the husband and father. As I watched him gather Michelle up in his arms for the first dance at the Inaugural Ball, I could see the love they have for each other. Yes, he was the most powerful man in the free world in that moment, but in that moment he had eyes only for the woman he loves. I watched him talk with Sasha and Melia and saw that he was full of love for these delightful little girls as well. So, my prayer for Barack, the man, is that he never forget the love he shares with his family; that he puts power into perspective and doesn't let it tarnish his integrity as it so often does with powerful men. That he continues to balance his life so that family remains important, that taking care of himself physically and spiritually has a place in his life. And that at the end of his presidency, he can look at Michelle, Sasha and Melia with that same powerful love and say to himself: "I took care of my country, but most importantly, I took care of my family."

I think America will cut him all the slack he needs to accomplish that goal.