I shot up in bed at 4am this morning. Gasping for air and my entire body shaking under the force of the coughs, it crossed my mind that I was going to die. I was trembling. The coughing was so intense I found myself running for the bathroom. Feeling weak and defeated, I splashed myself with cold water and wondered what was happening to me. My mind raced. My car was 5 blocks away, no buses were running at this hour, and I didn’t even think of taxi’s until just now. I was terrified. I sat in bed, holding the blankets tight over my shaking body, staring in to the dark, feeling completely alone and helpless.

I must have managed to fall asleep, because I woke up at 7am in another fit of coughing and gasping. I flipped on the TV in time to see Obama & Bush settling in to the limo for their drive to the Capitol.

There’s something to be said for being present for the moment. Watching the car meander the roads of DC, I wasn’t struck by any strong emotions. It wasn’t until I saw the look on Michelle Obama’s face as she entered the Capitol alongside Laura Bush that I felt a stir of any kind. She had the look of a young girl about to take the podium for her first public speech. Quiet & wide-eyed, seeming to glance around hoping for some kind of affirmation.

Again, the pomp and circumstance of politicians entering had no effect. The next moment for me was Feinstein’s introduction. Her speech may have carried the most momentum of the morning. It was moving. I wish I could find a transcript to quote from.

Simple Gifts with Yo-Yo Ma was incredible. It’s one of my favorite numbers and seemed a perfect fit for the day. The fumble on the oath just seemed a nice break from the seriousness of the event. The Obama smile makes everything okay. His speech wasn’t the best I’d heard from him, but I enjoyed the line about dusting yourself off and starting over, which Katie Couric tells me is a line from the movie, Swing Time (1936). Any reference to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers is okay by me. George Washington’s words seemed a fitting call to action to the tasks that lie ahead.

And at this moment, the President and First Lady just stepped out of their car to walk along the parade route in blistering 26-degree weather. It’s spectacular to hear the screams and see the people running forward, hoping only for a glimpse.

Today we all feel more united. We’re bonded by bearing witness to this day that will forever live on in history. Throughout the morning I’ve had this fear that I would witness something horrible, some unfortunate early end after all this momentum, excitement, and hope. Thank goodness they’ve remained as fears.

In San Francisco, some folks did their part to spread the cheer, renaming Bush St. Photos here

With or without blue skies, I think everyone can call this a beautiful day.