When I stop to think of the world that I hope to someday bring children into I think of a world that is accepting. I think of a world that doesn't see color of skin but rather color of character. I think of a world where men and women are given the same opportunities and love has no gender or color. I think of a world that will open its' arms to my children and accept them no matter their color, gender or sexual preference. That is the world I want to raise children in. I feel like that is the world we have been living in for the past eight years but sadly I feel that world has come to an end in this country.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

Maybe I was really too young to really understand or even care what was going on in this country when President Barack Obama was elected. I remember when he first won the 2008 election I was only a freshmen in high school. At that time the only things I was concerned with were pop quizzes and what friend's house I would be staying the weekend at. I didn't care what state the country was in. I didn't care what promises Obama was making to the country. What is national debt? What is recession? I simply did not care. However, I have been paying a little bit more attention the past few years and I have to say, I don't think he's done such a terrible job.

Now let me say this, I'm not sure just how stellar of a job President Barack Obama did with his time in the White House. Some would say this has been the worst eight years this country has ever seen. Some would argue that the past eight years has been a turning point for this country into a more positive direction. We all have our own opinions on this matter and we always will have a difference in opinion on this matter. But my opinion is this....

I don't know if the national debt is any better now than it was when Obama took office as our president. But I do know that I have never been so proud to be an American as I have been while Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have represented our country. Maybe they haven't done anything good for our country in some eyes. And maybe they haven't helped move us into a positive direction at all. But they have made this a country that is accepting of others. They have made this country one where people of all races and colors can come for refuge. They have made this country a country where women's voices are heard and are given choices. They have made this country one that made it legal for love to win no matter the color or gender of the individuals. That is a country that I am proud to be a part of.

I say all of that not to say that I am not proud to be an American now because I am and will forever be proud to be an American. And I am not saying that our new president, Donald Trump will run this country into the ground. I am simply saying I will miss Barack and Michelle Obama in the White House because I feel that they did the very best they could to make this a country that is loving and accepting of all human beings. Not just a select few. When I think of the future and I think of my future children I feel sad for them because they will never know this time in our history where this country was, just for a brief moment, united and accepting. My heart breaks for my future babies because the country that I call my home has unfortunately fallen apart with the 2016 election because we all forgot how to be accepting of one another. We all forgot how to just be people and not a democrat or a republican. That goes for both sides of the fence too; not just one. We have allowed our hatred for the two presidential candidates drive a rift between us on both sides and my heart breaks for the future generations.

I am so thankful that I have been alive the past eight years because I feel President Obama's presidency has been one that will live on for years to come as a time when this country momentarily united. I may stand alone in this statement and that's okay, but President Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the past eight years that you have served my country, and my home to the best of your abilities. I thank you for making this a country that I am proud of and I thank you for making this a country of acceptance and love for everyone. Thank you. I will miss you.