According to Webster’s dictionary,

congratulation is “an expression of joy in the success

or good fortune of another.”

In this case,

this one word carries the obligation of communicating

an immeasurable amount

of excitement and appreciation

for the accomplishments and promise of your new position.

Congratulations

on winning the high-stake election.

The world was watching

and we

are so proud.

Congratulations

on the not-so-simple achievement

of making the transition

from man with a vision

to a man

with all eyes on him.

Congratulations on your new puppy.

Though it was amusing

how much energy

the media put into following your search,

it was only proof

that you were no longer just a man on a mission.

You are officially an icon.

Someone parents will raise their children to strive to be like.

Congratulations on the opportunity

to raise a pair of beautiful

perspective

pioneers.

It took until 1870 for black people to get the right to vote

and until 1920 for women.

What good fortune is it

that you

have a chance to raise two black women

from the perspective of a man

who has overcome multiple road-blocks

on the traffic ridden highway to change.

Congratulations

on the chance to lead a generation

that too often only half listens

because we have at least one ear-bud plugged into our MP3 player.

We don’t even pay for the music

so critical that we keep our sound-tracks playing at all times of the day,

so who in their logical mind

expected us to pay attention?

No one expected it,

but we did.

We read,

we watched,

we discussed,

and finally,

we fell in love with ourselves.

Our power. Our opportunities.

These achievements are so honorable in my eyes,

personally,

because I am about to graduate high school

and can relate

to the anticipation

of completing one journey

for the promise of something new, empowering, and challenging.

After 14 years

of strictly outlined education

I finally have the chance to hold my own future in my hands.

Higher education

is my opportunity to exercise my beliefs and passions

just as being the president

is your opportunity to express OURbeliefs and passions

Your campaign

encouraged people of all ages, races, and political views

to exercise their right to think with their own minds but FOR their country

to challenge accepted practices and demand what is fair over what is comfortable

and to have a choice.

After hundreds of years of free will being an excuse for theft, murder, abuse, and broken families

We congratulate you

on demonstrating the empowerment

of working for a greater good

The country chose you to be the leader of the free world.

You gave the nation pride in our decisions

by promising support for our dreams.

But today marks the end of the dreaming

and the beginning

of a communal effort to improve a country by caring

about our communities.

Change is not easy,

and hope does not solve problems,

but they have proven necessary in all improvement efforts.

The simple acceptance of the title “President of the United States of America” will not achieve progress,

but you are being given that title

because you have helped us to believe

“We can.”

Congratulations on the inspirational opportunity to represent something greater than yourself.

Congratulations on representing us.