We have all been told since we were young we could be anything we want as long as we put our mind to it. When I was in the third grade, I thought I wanted to be a professional football player. When I stopped growing and realized that I didn’t like being tackled, I quickly changed my mind.

Two weeks ago, the Democratic race to be president was thickened when John Edwards dropped out before Super Tuesday. I watched the last Democratic debate with my roommate and a friend and saw something I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime.

I watched a black man and a white woman sit down and intelligently debate issues of poverty, health care and the War in Iraq. As I was sitting there and watching Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton debate the issues, I realized that either one of these people could be the next president. I realized what the saying, “you can do anything if you put your mind to it” really meant.

While people always said that to me while I was growing up, I never really believed it. I know that this is a pessimistic outlook on reality, but when you grow up and never see anyone challenge that status quo effectively, it makes you wonder if things should just stay the same because they are better that way.

After the last seven years, a war, an attack on Americans and numerous natural disasters that were handled poorly, I am ready for this change and I am very proud that the idea and climate of change is coming through as a force to be reckoned with.

Another lesson I have learned from the presidential running of Senator Obama and Senator Clinton is that the minority no longer has to settle for second best. When I say second best, I mean that the minority has a fighting chance to do what they think is best and fight for what they believe in.

Hope is something embedded in this election and it will be very interesting to see who reigns supreme. If it so happens that a black man or a white woman becomes the next President of the United States, then I will truly believe that people can be whatever they choose to be.

I know that after this election is said and done and either a Republican or a Democrat is in office, years from now I will definitely remember to tell my children that they can be anything they want to be and use Senator Obama and Senator Clinton as an example.