11/5/08

A New Day


Well, I guess my sign in the yard did the trick. Obama won, and even carried Indiana.

And you know, it's funny.

Nothing has really changed yet, and our new president won't even take office for a few more months. And when he does, he'll inherit a mountain of problems that even he has said may not be fixable in a year, or four.

But internally, I feel a big change already. Today, somehow, I feel more like this country belongs to me. Like the people of the United States have actually taken back our country and are starting to steer it in the right direction.

Like the ideals of the nation's founders have not gone extinct after all. The flame never died all the way. Somehow, the ones who seized power and used the resources of many to carry out the will of a few have let that power slip away, and now we have it back.

I feel more free, I really do. More hopeful. More interested and courageous about doing whatever we can to build a better life for our kids, and their kids.

As the stock market tanks and the wars rage on and the ice caps melt, I still see much to look forward to. To strive for.

Injustices seem more defeatable. Our will seems stronger. More possibilities seem to be within our reach, and our creativity in seeing what else we can try seems renewed. Truly, I feel this, even though I'm starting to sound like a speechwriter.

I'm proud of my country.

That's a big, big change.

And even though I know that all these current problems are a big part of why this change came about in yesterday's election, they don't feel so overwhelming this morning. I feel like whatever we got ourselves into, we can get ourselves out.

And I'm excited because my daughter, when she gets here in February, will get to grow up in a place like the one I envisioned for her -- one filled with possibility, and unity, and democracy.

Things are scary in America right now, but today I don't feel fear.

Just hope.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

amen to hope! today is a great day!

lorna said...

and we've even been celebrating across the pond!
I saw lots of happy faces this morning.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't be more excited myself. I watched his speech this morning at work on MSNBC and was in awe.

I'm hoping for another Camelot, with no tragic ending this time. That was the last time this country had real, undeniable hope, and it was all too brief. My heart is much lighter today.

Love and hugs
Mom

Kimberly said...

I am glad you are filled with hope. I for one didn't vote for him and was pretty upset but I am behind my President. I hope he can accomplish great things for this country and keep us safe. He has a daunting task. I would not want to be in his shoes. My biggest hope is that he can now heal the divide but that will happen over time and it is a trust issue. So on with it.

I am glad you have hope my friend. Hope is always good!

Anonymous said...

hope you and your daughter will be able to get a doctor when you needs one, the dr.s will be assigned to patients and will be spread very thin, you might have to go out of the country for anything serious that needs fixing immediately, and you probably won't be able to choose your dr. Are you sharing your all resources with less fortunate now? because that is what youre going to be doing.

Laur said...

I hope he can do it. I hope that he wasn't just selling fairy tales. I hope that his actions back up his dreams. And I hope it doesn't take him 8 years to make a change. But I am cautiously optimistic!

Hello, I'm Ryan Noel. said...

Color me hopeful as well.

P.S. It is clear that Monsieur or Madame Anonymous has never read Obama's health care plan.

"Tommy BBQ" Kline said...

I'm sure you've ALWAYS been proud of your country. It's because we spend so little time elsewhere that we take for granted what we've always had right here in our back yards.

Michele Melcher Illustration said...

I'm happy!

Rene said...

I tagged you, check out my blog

Anonymous said...

Although your post did scream speechwriter, it resonated deeply for me. I cast my ballot early, in preparation for a vacation which landed me in a different country on Election Day. And guess what? At 9:00 pm, after a lot of traveling and a late beachside dinner, my two girlfriends and I sat on our beds at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, watching in awe as we wondered if Obama's lead would hold. The next morning, as soon as we woke up - before opening the curtains, before brushing our teeth (eww...that's pretty gross now that I think about it), before changing our clothes or even hearing one note of a Mariachi band, we turned on the tv to find that our hopes were not in vain. I, personally, then engaged in an embarrassing re-enactment of my cheerleading days and almost busted my ass on the marble floor trying to do a toe-touch. GO DEMOCRACY!!!!

YS

The Tomball Three said...

RIGHT ON!

YAY Indiana!