We know that the Obamas rose from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of power. I was curious to get a glimpse of their lives and read Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming.’ The narration felt so close and comforting as though she was beside me, sharing her story as a friend and infusing a much-needed dose of courage, hope, and optimism.
Extremely impressed, I picked up Barack Obama’s ‘Dreams from my father.’ Nothing prepared me for the journey as I read about his origins, life in Chicago and Kenya. If Michelle Obama’s life was as real and relatable as it can get, Barack Obama’s story was deep, intense, and thought-provoking on many levels.
Even though the book was first published in 1995, long before he became a president, the markings of a great man were evident in the honest narrative. I wondered if it ever crossed his mind at that time that he would become the president of the US one day.
We’ve seen celebrity couples in which one of them takes the backseat to propel the other and share the shadow of the limelight. The Obamas, however, remained fiercely independent, sensible, and rooted in their family values.
Politics aside, thanks to the Obamas for leading us with hope and living as an example that anyone with his or her head and heart in the right place may someday be someone.
