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.