Inauguration Day Jan 20 2009

I hope everyone took the opportunity to witness history today for the inauguration ceremonies. No matter your political view, there can be no question that today will be one of those days you will remember. We were lucky enough to be able to gather all our high school students together in our auditorium to view the broadcast on our big screen and help them understand the history that was being made. I hope Ryan remembers this day--of course, he isn't old enough yet to see it in its historical context but someday he certainly will. His view was more along the lines of "Don't they do this for every inauguration?" Well, yes, but.......



I couldn't help but notice how many times our ancestors came up today both in speech and in imagery. President Obama called upon the efforts our ancestors made to come to this country and to build a life for themselves. Some of those efforts, he noted, were to make this country a better place so that we could get to a point such as we did today.



Honestly, I don't think our ancestors had such broad national goals in mind when they boarded those ships and found their way to other relatives or community members who had immigrated previously. Thomas asked me this weekend what I knew about the occupations of our grandparents and their parents and so forth. The Manzelli patriarch Joseph was a barber. Your grandfather James Coffarelli was a weigh master (I have no idea yet and it sounds a little scary and official). The Isoldis called themselves Junkmen. Jake Messa was a coal miner. You are well familiar with Costante's various jobs. There are other chauffeurs in the mix among the uncles and cousins. The religious orders are pretty well represented among your predecessors (good thing after Scott's party! Some of us need the extra help).



I think Thomas might have been wondering more about musical talent. You can see from the occupations that these seemed to be practical, serious, physical jobs--no one much made a living with music. But it's pretty obvious that your ancestors knew how to have a good time. So in that regard you come from very good stock. And you all are holding up your end of the deal very nicely in your family celebrations and events.



I believe our ancestors were mostly concerned with many of the same things we are thinking about today. We hope the world is better for our children than for us. It's just about that simple. And that's not such a bad national call to attention. Let's work for her.