The power of hope to create change

From the very beginning, this blog as well as my entire Community of Change web site, has been about change—about deciding what we want to do, how we want our life to be different than it's been, and then learning how to make the change happen.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the change that will be taking place today at a national level.

The inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44^th president not only represents change in terms of our nation having its first black president but also a change in the emotions that are permeating our country.

There is a spirit of hope and of possibility. We’ve been experiencing a long dark time and now there is a glimmer of light. And while Mr. Obama has warned us that “our road will be long...our climb will be steep,” I believe that we can do it—as a nation and as individuals.

Action, belief and commitment—those are the three essential and powerful forces that, together, can overcome fear and bring about change.

I encourage all of you to believe that change is possible, to commit to making change and to take action to bring that change apart. Do it for yourself. Do it for your community. Do it for our country.