Look: Must Read! Barack Obama Offers Inspiring Message of Hope in Farewell Letter to the American People

"Eight years ago, America faced a moment of peril unlike any we’d seen in decades.

"A spiraling financial crisis threatened to plunge an economy in recession into a deep depression. The very heartbeat of American manufacturing — the American auto industry — was on the brink of collapse. In some communities, nearly one in five Americans were out of work."

"Eight years later, an economy that was shrinking at more than eight percent is now growing at more than three percent. Businesses that were bleeding jobs unleashed the longest streak of job creation on record. The auto industry has roared its way back, saving one million jobs across the country..."

"The high school graduation rate is now 83 percent  —  the highest on record  —  and we’ve helped more young people graduate from college than ever before."

The president spoke on how hard his administration worked in "repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and advancing the cause of civil rights, women’s rights, and LGBT rights." "I appointed two extraordinary women to the Supreme Court, marking the first time in history that three women sit on the bench, including the first Latina. And today in America, marriage equality is finally a reality across all fifty states," he wrote.

"Today, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, another 20 million American adults know the financial security and peace of mind that comes with health insurance. Another three million children have gained health insurance. For the first time ever, more than ninety percent of Americans are insured  —  the highest rate ever."

"What won’t help is taking health care away from 30 million Americans, most of them white and working class; denying overtime pay to workers, most of whom have more than earned it; or privatizing Medicare and Social Security and letting Wall Street regulate itself again  —  none of which middle-class Americans voted for."

"We will have to move forward as we always have  —  together. As a people who believe that out of many, we are one; that we are bound not by any one race or religion, but rather an adherence to a common creed; that all of us are created equal in the eyes of God...However halting, however incomplete, however harshly challenged at each point on our journey  —  the story of America is a story of progress."

"It has been the privilege of my life to serve as your President...And I’m as confident as ever that it will be led by the United States of America  —  and that our best days are still ahead."

No, Mr. President, the privilege was all ours.