a new day, by Tracy Helming, www.alimahdances.com

I am taking the day off of thinking about dance in order to savor the optimism that President Obama's inauguration has given me. For the first time since becoming a parent, I actually believe that we have a chance at giving our children as much or more opportunity as we have enjoyed in our lifetime. I am going to reflect on President Obama's call to rely on the old values of "honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism," as we enter into a "new era of responsibility." My biggest responsibility is to my children. I appreciate that he included the importance of nurturing a child in his list of ingredients for a new future.