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Landing on Water

By Ophelia Chong
January 18, 2009
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dawn

As the jet plane touched onto the icy waters of the Hudson River, the passengers aboard gave their trust to Capt. Sullenberg and to their higher powers to bring them safely home.

The passenger list was as diverse as our country, but their hope was united.

Those passengers were given a new start on life, facing immense odds they survived with a Captain who made wise and split second decisions, with the luck of timing and a city prepared by past tragedies. What I wonder was their first thoughts the next morning? Was it "what will I accomplish now?", "How will I change my life for the better?", "What is valuable to me?'

On Tuesday, January 20th, we will be witness to the swearing in of the 44th President, Barack Obama. We as a nation will wake up and make those same decisions as the passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 . We are now given the chance to work together to make this nation great, we are now called upon to work united, we are now prepared to sacrifice the past ideology of "What's in it for me" to asking first "What is in it for us?"

I will wake on Tuesday, January 20th with hope and the passion to make changes, and I will make everyday a day of possibilities.

Image: Ophelia Chong / Dawn at the Griffith Park Observatory 6:45 am, January 1, 2009

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