We are all the better for this day. The emotion in the crowd is fairly indescribable—overwhelming, powerful, even healing. A better writer than I can explain what this day meant to black Americans especially, and the emotion in their faces as they stood with pride. But we all felt a sense of renewed pride and, to use our new President’s words, "citizenship", which on this day, in this crush of crowds, felt more like kinship.

Our four close in sightings were a random bunch: Forrest Whitaker, Colin Powell, Ray Nagin, Geraldine Ferrarro.

Pictured: Looking back from my seat…unreal.