Editorials

The Presidential Inauguration
Mon, 24 Jan 2005

Dear Friends:

Wasn't the president's inaugural speech last week wonderfully uplifting?
How many times have a president's speech stirred so many emotions within
your heart? His call for selflessness and a devotion to a higher calling
made me so proud to be an American...to be a part of who helped put this
man in office. I don't think I've ever heard such an idealistic speech from a
world leader before. Sometimes it seems that our leaders compromise so
much due to competing demands that idealism is lost somewhere along the way.
But this was one time that it found its way to the surface and did so in such a
stirring way on behalf of freedom around the world. I think one of my
favorite phrases was : "Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than
your wants, larger than yourself - and in your days you will add not just
to the wealth of our country, but to its character." What a powerful truism!

The trip to Washington was a wonderful opportunity for those who made it.
The size of the crowd and the amount of security was somewhat overwhelming
at times, but I highly recommend making the trip at least once in your life.
This was my first inauguration and is definitely a memorable
experience...between the late night "balls", i.e. parties, that last till 2 a.m., then
getting up for the breakfast gatherings with various elected officials. It
made for some very long days and very short sleeps! Standing in the snow
for about two hours during the inauguration was a little chilling but at
least it wasn't raining this year!

We had a good group from Tarrant County. We spotted probably 30 folks that
we knew, met several that we didn't. Laura and I got to spend some
quality time with Bill & Jane Burch. Jane, as most of you may know, is the SREC
Rep for Senate District 9. (And a very good one!)

Pat Carlson put together a very nice reception Friday evening for all the
folks from Tarrant County that could attend! THANK YOU PAT!!!!
We appreciate all you do for the local party!!!!!

Laura and I want to thank Congresswoman Kay Granger for making our trip
possible. Without her assistance, we could not have made the trip. It was
wonderful renewing friendships with folks at her reception, including four
families of us who all had daughters that were the same age and had been in
the same class at the same school!

The drive back was long, but we got out ahead of the blizzard (by about 3
hours!), dodged the ice storm in the Carolinas by driving straight south
until Atlanta, then turning west on I-20. We didn't stop until western
Alabama (900 miles) over concerns that the ice storm might cut us off over
night. But we made it back with clear weather the rest of the way.

So for those of you who made the trip, we trust that you made it safely
home.
For those who didn't make the trip,
but would like to in the future, plan on it! It truly is a trip of a
lifetime!


Bless you all!

Judge Paul Enlow

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