Boy Oh Boy, Obama!

I am starting to really worry about Barack Obama. As he begins his career as the 44th President of the United States, I can hardly imagine what must be going through his mind!

As we all know, Obama was born into a mixed race family, at times living in Kansas, Hawaii and Indonesia. He was not a privileged child and worked his way through law school, into the US Senate and managed to be chosen as the president of the most powerful country in the world. I can’t imagine he ever dreamed of this extraordinary development and he can’t possibly fathom the immensity of the job to which he has been elected.

I believe that Barack Obama is a very intelligent, honest man possessing integrity and high moral character. But he is just a man. He is a man elected to a political office. He is a man chosen to provide leadership during a very difficult economic and political time. I need not expound on the many global problems and challenges he is going to have to face. I just keep reflecting on the fact that he is not a super hero or a god sent from Olympus: he is just a common man with human skills and abilities.

The world at large, however, does not view Obama as just a man or just another US President. On many fronts he is seen as a Savior or a Messiah. He has been crowned with the lofty expectations of the black community, the poor, other foreign countries and his own political party, to perform heroic and even miraculous works. No president or world leader in history has ever had the hopes and dreams of so many diverse people riding on their shoulders.

Barack Obama has been anointed, by public opinion and expectation, as ‘The One’ to lead the United States and ultimately the world out of the most troubled time in history. He is expected to solve the world’s economic plight, resolve conflict and fighting in the Middle East, stabilize and resurrect the American dream, and deal with a few miscellaneous chores in the areas of health, education, technology and the environment.

Barack Obama is just a man. He will work hard on many fronts and have to deal with all of the major issues of the day. He will succeed to varying degrees in some areas and fail at others. In the end, however, how can we ever expect him to live up to the massive expectations that have been heaped upon his plate? No man can possibly respond adequately and effectively to all of the challenges and hopes of so many.

Will his successes outnumber his failures? How will he deal with new situations and pressures that have not yet emerged? Can he maintain his calm demeanor, his common sense and his work ethic and still devote time to himself and his family? Like I said, I worry about him. I pray for his success and good health, the welfare of his wife and children and am very thankful he did have the audacity to hope! He is truly a MAN with a mission. Good luck Barack!