Washington, D.C. -- I keep going back in my mind to see if I can recall a time when I experienced something similar to the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States. I have covered four inaugurations, and they all had their share of patriotism, celebration, protocol and formalities. But President Barack Obama's  
swearing-in ceremony was different, to put it lightly.

Throughout the years, I have had opportunities to cover many news events that have drawn huge crowds of people, provoked mixed emotions and changed the course of history: riots, immigration marches, Olympic Games, natural disasters, superpower summits, wars, terrorist attacks, the ends of dictatorships and the death of a princess, to name a few.

But, with the exception of the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome in 2005, where almost 4 million people went to pay their respects to the beloved pontiff, I have never seen such large crowds flocking to an event, braving the elements, and patiently and peacefully standing in long lines for hours to be able to say they were a witness to history.

The streets of Washington, D.C., were full of people from all over the country who traveled there for the inauguration of Barack Obama. They came by plane, arrived by train or drove hundreds of miles without a guarantee that they would find a place to sleep. Most probably would not even get a glimpse of him in person -- only a chosen few would have tickets to the memorable event -- but that didn't seem to matter.

No traffic jam or human gridlock could stop those who were determined to witness the most intriguing transition of government of our time. Most would have to settle for seeing the ceremonies on large screens after standing for hours in near-freezing temperatures on the National Mall between the steps of our nation's Capitol and the monument that honors the man who opened the door that would allow a black man to become president of the United States. It is no wonder that Obama chose the Lincoln Memorial to hold the star-studded concert that would kick off the inauguration ceremonies.

I stood there, shoulder to shoulder during the concert on that chilly Sunday afternoon with people of all races, young and old, rich and poor. Families with small children, people in wheelchairs. A crowd of an estimated half a million sang along, danced, laughed, cried and watched in awe as the most celebrated Hollywood stars and recording artists paid tribute to the first black president in the history of our country.

By Inauguration Day, the crowds swelled to more than 2 million, a human wave flooding the symbol of American patriotism. The images have gone around the world -- people waving flags, staring in disbelief, tears rolling down their cheeks. But I wonder if a camera lens is able to transmit the feeling of being there, the sense of hope and pride that seemed to envelop so many of those present. It is not often that you see one person, especially a politician, arouse so much passion in a crowd. It was, without a doubt, an Obama lovefest.

I don't know if I am suffering from amnesia, but right now I cannot come up with another event that's comparable in size and scope. Simply because there will never be another one like it. There will be other swearing-in ceremonies, of course. The peaceful transition of power is, after all, the cornerstone of our democracy. There will one day be another swearing-in ceremony of an African-American, a woman, a Latino or another minority. But Barack Obama always will be the first. He always will be the first one to break down the barriers of racism and bigotry that have tainted our history for far too long.

It has yet to be seen if the honeymoon with Obama will last even through his first 100 days. There's no assurance that he will be able to keep even half of the campaign promises he made. It is our duty in the media to scrutinize our government, no matter who's in power. But one thing is clear: This was not just another assignment. It was an event that happens only once in a lifetime, and I can say, “I was there.”

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(Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www .mariaesalinas.com)

© 2009 by Maria Elena Salinas

Distributed by King Features Syndicate