The temperature was -50 in Big Black River Friday night, -41 in Van Buren, -24 in Millinocket, according to the Bangor Daily News, and by our thermometer -18 here on the balmy Maine coast. Today, Sunday, it's snowing like crazy.

But our buses started all last week, good news for those who depend on them.

And our new President starts his actual Presidency this week, great news for all of us depending on him.

An old hymn in part reads, "Go tell it on the mountain, Jesus Christ is born." Since the name refers in ancient Greek to the Savior/Messiah, this is the hymn's real message; the world is saved!

I kind of feel the same way about President-elect Barack Obama. The whole world is waiting on his beginning his major task of correcting so many national and world problems -- and Tuesday is the day he officially starts.

Inauguration Day is Tuesday, even though he has already begun, judging by what the President-elect has already done.

Once again, I can happily write correct English by using a capital "P" when I write the word "President."

Does this sound like politics? It's meant to sound like hope.

The difference between the Messiah long awaited by the Jewish people and our President-elect is that their Messiah is coming to fulfill a spiritual mission -- one that if adopted by the world could bring an economical, physical, and political new beginning. Barack Obama's task is political with the hope of renewing the economic and physical world which so desperately needs such a salvation.

The only doubt I have is Obama's apparent faith in the American auto companies and his plan to have them become our major transportation providers once again. I used to buy Chevys, Fords, Plymouths, and even a Pontiac once.

But our Toyota Echo, "Ellie," has started every morning this week -- and every week since we've had her waiting outside in our driveway for the past four years.

I'm not against American cars. I'm for cars that start and run and run and run.

Besides many Toyotas are now American cars, made in Kentucky. What could be more American than Kentucky?

And what could be more American than having a President about whom we can shout with happiness, because the entire world is waiting for him to create a new image of and hope for our great nation that can bring visions of a brighter future for the rest of the world's countries.

Alternate energy? Should have been doing this years ago. And we probably would have too, except for the financial powers that be -- hopefully were -- who, in my opinion, stopped anything alternative. They, in my opinion, halted the beginnings of electric cars 30 years ago. They made us dependent on their corporations to heat many of our homes and produce our goods, at least the way my opinion views it.

On, I believe, Public TV about a week ago was a feature about a company that is creating petroleum products from today's algae, and the company is actually driving test cars using this new less-polluting gasoline manufactured from this new technique. The owner of the company said it takes two days to produce it, not two million years as did the old way.

Some of the passengers on my commuter bus yesterday got into a discussion of the "good old days" while we waited to leave Bar Harbor. The discussion began because we had noted that our "good now days" cars had all started in the morning when our thermometers had remained stuck at 20 below zero.

We recalled the cars of the "good old days," the hand chokes that if not set exactly right wouldn't let old Lizzy start, having to press the accelerator three times -- two times wouldn't do it nor would four -- to start the good old Chevy on a cold morning.

In these "good new days," I lean into "Ellie" and turn the key on the coldest mornings. Guess what. She starts, the first time, every time. Then I go into the house and wait a few minutes for "Ellie" to heat up the passenger compartment where I sit.

God bless America. Our cars now start, Japanese, American, and those from other countries. Our nation has a new hope. And, if you don't believe in God, well in our new country, that's fine too -- you're allowed to believe the way you want -- as long as you don't try to force your belief down my or anyone else's throat. And, part of my hope is that this becomes more and more actual as this new Presidency moves forward.

May all of our cars, SUVs, and pickups start as well as our nation, start moving forward to the American dream, that is.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 may be the most important day our nation has seen for many years.

I hope our venture down the new road for quite a piece will be a great trip for all of us. May it be filled with peace and hope.

May our nation begin a trip this week as full of wonder, beauty, and peace as this woods road in South Paris, Maine. Photo by Lorraine Johnson. Lorraine Johnson Copyright 2009.

Milt Gross can be reached for corrections, harassment, or other purposes at lesstraveledway@midmaine.com.

Milton M. Gross Copyright (1st Rights) 2009