Wishing Everyone A Life-Changing Day

My two-year old yellow lab got hit by a car yesterday. Chased a snowball thrown by my son right into the street. Thankfully, she escaped with only cuts and bruises. We were lucky.

Lucky to still have our dog. Lucky to not have to console a 12-year old boy and his 10-year old brother. Lucky to have survived such a scare, and lucky to have the chance to learn from a mistake.

In the past couple of years, I've dealt with other scary things. Health scares involving loved ones. Thankfully, everything's all right. I watched one of my bothers -- the hardest-working of all the Bradleys -- lose his job because of some nimrod boss. Watched as he had to pack up his family and move across the country.

I live every day, wondering how I'll be able to keep my boys on the right path. Wondering how a parent is supposed to deal with something like the internet, much less drugs and alcohol.

I wonder how, with all that's happened in the past year to our money (not just "ours" but everyone's retirement money and investments), I'm going to be able to educate my boys the way my parents educated me. I hope and pray every single day that I'm not going to be the next casualty as I watch so many colleagues lose their jobs.

I've got a lot on my plate. More than I can possibly control, but I view it as my job to do my best to look after those I love...and those who've loved me. That, in itself, is what occupies my brain.

And, what's the point of this rambling note? Well, I'm happy for everyone who's getting all teary-eyed over today's inaugural. I can appreciate the history that's taking place. From what I've heard, Barack Obama is an amazing speaker. From what I've read, he's a brilliant writer.

But I just don't see how my life changes all that much today. I don't see how Obama will be any better at keeping me and my family going than George Bush was. I mean, how's Obama going to keep my dog from running into the street. Simple answer is, he can't.

I guess there's a chance down the road I'll feel differently, if Obama ends the war in Iraq, keeps my boys from having to deal with a draft 5-7 years from now. That's why I voted for him.

But as of today, unlike so much of the country, who are rejoicing as if our retirement money's all going to re-appear tomorrow and our jobs are going to be safer, I'm in "wait-and-see" mode. I seriously hope that Obama turns out to be the greatest president in the history of our country.

And if everyone else I know sees their life change for the better after 12 noon today, than I'm happy for you. And that's sincere.

I don't know. I just feel like I've got to keep an eye on my own. Same as yesterday.

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