By Tamer Bahgat
Friday, with the brief words of the laconic former vice president, our Republic has been freed from its bondage and returned to its rightful owners, for the people by the people.
In the past days we witnessed the shroud of fear unwrapped, the individuals communing to unite for a common cause, and the beacon of pride shine from within all those who call themselves Egyptian. Today is indeed a good day to be Egyptian.
As the world watched in anticipation it saw determination overcome anxiety, commitment subjugate deterrence, and patience subdue stubbornness. A pacifist movement, stained by the blood of unforgotten martyrs. People who sacrificed themselves as a result of their devotion to behold change. Change once desired, now realized.
As we take a moment to absorb the events that dominate our minds, as we recount the words heard, and reflect on the developments achieved, and attempt to comprehend the august historical moment testified, we cannot be sedated. Indeed, in jubilation we are apprehensive of what the future will behold; only by the reality of what lays ahead.
Although our feelings are justified, we need not be reminded we are a people who stood in the face of injustice until it was righted, we are a people who took to the streets in hundreds, thousands and millions to inspire the world, and we are a people who faced death so we can live.
As we stand side by side to protect our ancestral treasures of antiquity, as we stand side by side to shield our fellow brethren from harm in prayers, we are now called upon to stand side by side to embrace our country as one nation, one people-poor, rich, Christian, Muslim, man, woman, and child.
The ingenious blood of our Pharaonic forefathers runs in our veins, and like our ancestors, we are now burdened to build, develop, and prepare our beloved nation for our generations, so that they too will one day reflect upon us, their parents, and be proud of us. Never again will we let our neglect dominate the lives of our sisters and brothers and cause us to lose our country. The time is now!
Our mission is not complete, it has just begun. The milestone achieved is but the first step in the difficult journey ahead. Our fuel will be the momentum we witnessed for change. We must be patient because what we desire will come.
We must work hard, together, and with each building block we will prepare our foundation. A foundation that will host our pyramid of life, one that will be admired by all to come. For ours will not be monuments of stone, but pillars of democracy, of freedom, of fraternity, a liberty to control our destiny, to stand strong, heads high, and know that Egypt is for the Egyptians. Egypt is you.
