No matter how much we wish it were different or that we could change the trajectory of what’s to come, the fact of the matter is that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are coming up on their final week in the White House. On Wednesday, Mrs. Obama made her final appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and it was funny, beautiful, and upsetting to let it sink in that she won’t be our First Lady anymore.
Mrs. Obama chatted with Jimmy about her time in the White House, played a rousing game of “Catchphrase” with Jimmy, Dave Chapelle, and Jerry Seinfeld, but the most affecting segment of the show was when the First Lady surprised viewers as they recorded goodbye messages to her not knowing she was standing behind the curtain watching them on a monitor.
Each of the people Mrs. Obama surprised burst into tears upon seeing her, and it’s safe to say that we are in tears watching.
One young woman stood before a picture of the First Lady and recorded the following goodbye message.
“First Lady Michelle Obama, thank you for making me a more confident woman. You have helped me and inspired me to walk in my purpose. Every day I work to help women and underrepresented students get access to technology education and I love this work, and I’m good at this work, and I would love to work for you one day.”
A young man recited the following goodbye message to Mrs. Obama before she came out to surprise him:
I feel the way about you that I feel about the best teachers I’ve ever had, those special teachers that you never forget because they realize what powerful influence they can have. And I feel like that’s what you’ve been to me and millions of people, not only in America but all around the globe.
The segment was poignant and heartfelt, and it really drives home how much we’ll miss First Lady Michelle Obama.
Not incidentally, she also looks like she gives the best hugs ever.
