By JOSHUA THOMAS

C-S-E Editor

It’s a week to feel exceedingly proud of my fellow Americans. It’s a time to be proud of the evolving country we inhabit, those who strived to move it forward to this point, and the version of it that is yet to come, which, will hopefully take all of history into consideration to refine and perfect the things that haven’t yet been.

I spend a lot of time living in the past and looking toward the future, but with Obama’s win in the presidential race on Tuesday, and with Veterans Day coming up on Sunday, it’s a perfect opportunity to spend a little bit of time here in the present, full of awe and appreciation of this moment.

I feel more at home than ever, and I’ve been inspired by a presidential race like I’ve never been before. Like Obama said in his acceptance speech, I truly feel the country is heading for the brightest future it’s ever seen. There’s a lot of promise on the horizon, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to witness, and participate in, a time of immense growth and change.

I have faith that this moment, and what lies immediately ahead, will go down in history for all the right reasons.

I’m thankful we have this opportunity to spend time to thank and to honor those who’ve fought and died so that I can sit here, inspired by these feelings of acceptance, and full of drive to do my part to advance this nation, freely speaking and feeling completely empowered doing so.

It’s been a long road, but I feel like the state of the nation I’ve come to know as home has only improved in my lifetime. Despite the setbacks of the past decade, I feel we’re closer now to becoming the country that we were always meant to be. It’s this future that those who went to battle for it defended.

And while we rightfully revere those who have come before us, and honor their place in history, never forgetting their loss, I also hope that someday we can live in a place where people dying to defend freedom is a thing of the past. I hope for a day when we can say that the countless men and women who’ve given themselves and all they were for us, and future generations, are honored by not only our appreciation of them, but by our actions — by the fact that we finally got things exactly right, and there is no longer that need for future sacrifice.

I’m hoping that those who don’t view Tuesday as a victorious, inspiring day will understand that whether they agree with decisions made by the government, or by the American public, there’s no turning back. We’re all in this together, and the only thing that will move us forward is the common understanding that we are all equal, and we all want what we view as best for not only ourselves, but for one another.