Helping to Remember

Dear Benjamin,

  I know that you will never remember for yourself what happened yesterday but I wanted to let you know what you were like on the day of President Barak Obama's Inauguration.

  The day began routinely for you. It was very chilly and you had your normal waffle and milk for breakfast. Afterwards you ran around the house like the wild man you have turned in to recently. Around 10:30 you had tired yourself out and went to bed for a nap. For the next hour I wondered if you'd be up in time to watch President Obama take the oath of office.

  As 11:30 am rolled around I called our neighbor and your friend Bella's mom to let her know that you were still napping and that we wouldn't be over until later for your playdate.

  At 11:45 am I decided I needed to wake you up out of your sleep to witness history. For the record, I did feel a slight bit of guilt as I know how much you need your rest.

  Boy were you bewildered when I woke you. You had this expression as if you wanted to say, "Dad, what's going on? Why'd you wake me? To watch TV?"

  We went out to the living room and sat on the ottoman and watch the live broadcast of the Inauguration. You actually sat very still for once. Usually you squirm and want to be let down to run around like a monkey but you politely sat there and watched the television.

  During the ceremony cellist Yo Yo Ma played a piece that was beautiful and you stared at the TV. As the song ended you started to clap without any coaxing which kind of stunned me. You looked at me as if to say, "Come on, Dad. Clap!"

  It was really neat to have this moment with you. I wasn't at a job or shooting some assignment. I got to witness history with you in my arms.

  You will have many sad days that are historic during your life. Your grandparents will tell you precisely where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. I will tell you about how I called your Great Granny to make a lunch date with her only to have her inform me that a jetliner crashed into the World Trade Center. But today was truly a happy day in History.

  There will be so many things that happen in your life that you will be able to remember on your own but I know this will not be one of them. And for that I will serve as your memory with this entry. It is because I want you to be able to say with conviction that you watched the day President Obama took the oath of office of the Presidency. I guess it's also a bit of selfishness on my part because I hope that you will tell your grandchildren one day that you watched it with your dad.