Inaugural Reflex

Barack Obama became our president today...

I'm scared. Not because I don't like Obama, but because of what he's being thrown into. The world we inhabit is terrifying in so many very real ways. I'm scared that he'll fail. I'm scared that he won't be able to help, that the things he'll try will fail.

I don't care what party you belong to. I don't care if you don't belong to any party at all. You have to see the devastating state of our world, our country, our lives. You have to see everything going to hell.

I might not be a Democrat, but I have to try to hope that he'll be able to at least make things better. But I'm not Republican, either. I want him to succeed. I want him to make our lives a little easier. I want to be able to wake up in the morning without worrying that the people I love will have to move to other states just to find jobs. I want to not have to worry about money, how much I don't--and never will--have.

I want to be able to be happy here, and I can't do that with the world in shambles.

So please, Mr. President, don't fail us. Please do your best. Please try to be moderate, and see things from all points of view.

That's my reaction: Please try.