Yes We Can

When I was in high school, our beloved school Principal was rumored to be retiring at the end of my junior year. We were pretty upset, to think that such a big change would come, in our opinion, one year early. Well, for reasons I don't know, Mr. Pickens decided to stick it out with us and retire after we graduated. At a pep rally that fall, right around this time of year, our high school football team was set to play the #1 ranked team, not just in our league, but in the state. Our football team was not, by any stretch of the imagination, expected to be a contender. In fact, up to that season, our school had NEVER beaten this particular opponent. So, up to the microphone walks Mr. Pickens. He begins to give a speech about being an underdog. Determination. Drive. Believe in yourself and you can move mountains, etc. He started chanting, "yes we can. Yes We Can. YES WE CAN!"  Of course, I wouldn't be recounting the story if we hadn't beaten them that night. After the big win, our class took ahold of the motto. We carried it with us for the entire year. We made sure we had signs with it in all of  our group photos. Mentioned in our commencement speech. But it was because of that moment of inspiration that tonight's acceptance speech meant just a little bit more to me. I felt it. I am inspired. For the first time in too long. I remember this feeling. HOPE.