Eight years ago today I went to work and tweeted this. I had early voted weeks before; I'd canvassed on the weekend in Gary, IN; I was all in for Senator Obama to become president. It was just down to that knuckle-biting day. Two questions weighed heavily - Would Obama be elected? And would I get tickets for the rally?

Obama was spending election night in Grant Park and I wanted to be there with him. Todd ended up skipping work to volunteer in Indiana because they were quasi-promising tickets to the event at the end of the day. A couple lucky friends received emails throughout the day that they'd been selected to attend. Late in the afternoon Todd texts, we got the tickets!

We meet a few blocks away from Grant Park. Masses of people surround us. We wait. Slowly we are all let in, tickets checked. We wait and wait. So many people full of hope and anxiety and energy.

Then, finally it is called! Obama wins! We all cheer and cry and high five and hug complete strangers. And not long after he takes the stage and makes an historic acceptance speech.

I don't think I've ever been a part of something so energizing. The night was such a victory, and we had such hope and spirit for the next four years. A crowd of a quarter million was a community that night.

Next week I won't be at a rally, but I will be cheering hard for another historic evening.