Yes We Can.
Yes we can change. Yes we can hope. Yes we can win.
Just three very simple words … but words that inspired Americans and rallied the young and the old, the white and black, the rich and the poor, towards a myth shattering win in an historic Presidential election on November 4, 2008.
Yes We Can. We listened to the chant of this phrase across the United States through 18 months of intense, captivating, sometimes ruthless campaign beginning with the Democratic Party primaries and a chant that left the orator the final one standing. A chant that grew stronger, louder, firmer through the last 3 months of the Presidential campaigns.
Yes We Can. A chant that was echoed again after the electoral results were called in favor of President-elect Barack Obama when he firmly punctuated each challenge facing the country and highlighted in his victory speech with the words. Yes We Can.
Since that historic night, as the dust settles and we wonder how to return to our normal lives, these three words have become ingrained in my mind. Like an endearing song that steals its way into one’s heart, mind and soul and stays there, replaying over and over again like a broken record. I start to think, Yes I Can. I feel challenged, inspired, filled with the realization that all is within the realm of possibility.
I wondered how I can make this slogan relevant for me each day. How can I deploy this powerful arsenal each time I am confronted with a challenge or possibility? How can I translate each dream, each goal I hope to accomplish into something concrete? It occurred to me that this was not difficult because it is the power of the mind, it stems from the power of choice and it manifests as the power of translating that choice from a just a thought to a word. Of giving choice a life by proclaiming loudly, firmly and convincingly, Yes I Can.
Yes I Can. Yes I can elect a responsible President. Yes I can elect a responsible Member of Parliament. Yes I can fight corruption. Yes I can be the best citizen. Yes I can hold my President and Member of Parliament accountable. Yes I can run a marathon. Yes I can sing. Yes I can be an excellent orator. Yes I can write. Yes I can finish school. Yes I can be a good parent. Yes I can be a good child. Yes I can be an excellent worker. Yes I can initiate, execute and deliver on a project. Yes I can lead. YES I CAN.
These three simple words have now opened up a realm of possibility in my life that is so big so vast that I would never have accepted as possible. The very words that inspired a nation to put aside its painful racial history, deny false perceptions of elitism or personal prejudices and rally to elect a leader and in the process inspire the whole of humankind, have now become a personal mantra. One that I will call to mind each time I have a choice to make. For each time, the answer will be clear to me. Because I can.
YES I CAN!
Yes we can change. Yes we can hope. Yes we can win.
Just three very simple words … but words that inspired Americans and rallied the young and the old, the white and black, the rich and the poor, towards a myth shattering win in an historic Presidential election on November 4, 2008.
Yes We Can. We listened to the chant of this phrase across the United States through 18 months of intense, captivating, sometimes ruthless campaign beginning with the Democratic Party primaries and a chant that left the orator the final one standing. A chant that grew stronger, louder, firmer through the last 3 months of the Presidential campaigns.
Yes We Can. A chant that was echoed again after the electoral results were called in favor of President-elect Barack Obama when he firmly punctuated each challenge facing the country and highlighted in his victory speech with the words. Yes We Can.
Since that historic night, as the dust settles and we wonder how to return to our normal lives, these three words have become ingrained in my mind. Like an endearing song that steals its way into one’s heart, mind and soul and stays there, replaying over and over again like a broken record. I start to think, Yes I Can. I feel challenged, inspired, filled with the realization that all is within the realm of possibility.
I wondered how I can make this slogan relevant for me each day. How can I deploy this powerful arsenal each time I am confronted with a challenge or possibility? How can I translate each dream, each goal I hope to accomplish into something concrete? It occurred to me that this was not difficult because it is the power of the mind, it stems from the power of choice and it manifests as the power of translating that choice from a just a thought to a word. Of giving choice a life by proclaiming loudly, firmly and convincingly, Yes I Can.
Yes I Can. Yes I can elect a responsible President. Yes I can elect a responsible Member of Parliament. Yes I can fight corruption. Yes I can be the best citizen. Yes I can hold my President and Member of Parliament accountable. Yes I can run a marathon. Yes I can sing. Yes I can be an excellent orator. Yes I can write. Yes I can finish school. Yes I can be a good parent. Yes I can be a good child. Yes I can be an excellent worker. Yes I can initiate, execute and deliver on a project. Yes I can lead. YES I CAN.
These three simple words have now opened up a realm of possibility in my life that is so big so vast that I would never have accepted as possible. The very words that inspired a nation to put aside its painful racial history, deny false perceptions of elitism or personal prejudices and rally to elect a leader and in the process inspire the whole of humankind, have now become a personal mantra. One that I will call to mind each time I have a choice to make. For each time, the answer will be clear to me. Because I can.
YES I CAN!
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