Mr. Obama Begins

This blog begins when Mr. Obama begins. The timing is a coincidence. I'm like so many who are wondering what this change will bring. I'm looking forward to the inauguration but I'm more looking forward to Wednesday, January 21, 2009. This is the day that the new president will come face to face with some of the most difficult challenges this country has ever confronted.

No matter what he thinks, no matter what we hope and not matter what the country and the world need, he is likely to have a difficult time in the coming weeks and months. Progress will be hard and the achievements will be slow. This is not because he is unqualified; I believe he is the most qualified man for this job at this time in our history. I believe he will struggle for a time because of the wickedness of the problems he faces. Wicked problems that are likely to get more complex and harder as he attempts to solve them.

It is the very nature of wicked problems that they get more difficult before the are resolved. President Obama will eventually make progress on these challenges and he will do it with our help but it will take time. More time then any of us would like and more time then some of us can afford.

How can we help? First we need to give him that time to do his job. Second, we will need to have patience. The third way we can help is to get out and help other people solve their problems. Sometimes we will be compensated for that help and other time we need not be. Getting into action, helping create impact and being of service will help our mood and our moral and it will generate momentum. We need to be the generators of good news and millions of acts of good work. We are in this together, we will need to stay together to get out and move forward.

Welcome President Obama. We are here to do our part.

Rick Torseth