Historic Moment

What a historic moment...just an hour ago, I watched as the new Pope was being announced to the world - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger from Germany is now the 265th Pope, Benedict XVI.

I sat in front of my TV watching, locking eyes and not losing sight of the balcony of the Vatican Basilica where any movement would indicate the historic announcement. So exciting and so anxious I was that my nail-biting went in rhythmic unison with the ticking clock. By the time Pope Benedict appeared, I had bitten and chipped away 5mm off my thumb nails. Sigh...

And you might wonder why the anxiousness...I wonder, too. I am not a Catholic and I do not fully understand the significance and its implications. All I know is Pope John Paul II did a lot of good things for the world with that pastoral and affable demeanor. I guess, I was anxiously curious to know if the new Pope exudes the same. Unfortunately, it was too quick to judge. Fortunately, I was part of the millions in the world who witnessed this historic moment, real time, first hand, minus nails.