"Obama can inspire but we must lead." Jesse Jackson, 8/26/2008

I watched Michelle Obama's speech last night, and was really energized by her presentation and her message. If you work hard, get a good education, you have a chance for the American Dream. "America should be a place where you can make it if you try," she said.

Since I try to deliver that message every day to my own two kids, and to the 7th to 12th grade teens of the Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor program in Chicago, I really appreciate this message, and the thought that it might be consistently modeled for the next 8 years by the top leaders of our country.

However, there was another inspiring message waiting for me in today's Chicago SunTimes. I read the Rev. Jesse Jackson's column, with the headline that read "Obama can inspire but we must lead."

I could repeat many of the quotes from this article, but one stands out to me:
"Real change only comes as ordinary people are inspired to act in extraordinary ways."

As you listen to the campaign speeches and decide which candidate to vote for, I urge you to consider with person, at the national, state or local level, inspires you most to leave your own comfort zone, or your own personal problems, to do something to help someone else, or to help make this a "world as it should be".

I encourage you to visit http://www.cabriniconnections.net and http://www.tutormentorconnection.org to see how ordinary people have been working to help make the world a better place. I hope you are inspired to help us.