Monday, November 10, 2008

Everywhere I Turn


Everyone I meet or talk to or communicate with online had the same reaction to Obama's election. Tears. Pride. Relief. Joy. Hope.

Hope where there has been none for nearly a decade. Hope that doesn't have to hide or be ashamed. Suddenly, it's okay to let it be known that we love our country and we want to build a better nation.

Obama brought us hope again, and now he is tapping into that. As was said on his web site -- after September 11, we were all dying to DO something. And what did Bush do with all that power and energy that was just raring to go? He told us to go shopping. Obama's site (www.change.gov) encourages everyone to let their story be known, to speak their vision of America, to see behind the scenes.

I imagine the servers for that site are straining from the traffic. And that gives me even more hope. Everyone has a story and everyone wants that story to be heard. Finally someone in Washington is listening.

2 comments:

Sharon said...

It is such a refreshing change!

Mary said...

My Master's Social Work student organization threw a campus election party. Technically it was bipartisan but even most Republican social workers wanted a social worker elected president. :)

About a third of the people attending were African American. I was literally jumping up and down and laughing in gratitude and relief when California was confirmed and Obama became the President Elect. But my joy was NOTHING compared to the heartfelt ecstasy of my AA peers. There were hugs, tears, shouts, prayers of thanksgiving, dancing, wide eyes, cell phone calls to grandparents and relatives overseas and siblings and friends, quotes and an electricity in the air that I have never felt before and never expect to feel again.

Hope. Vindication. Community. Idealism. Commitment. Patriotism.

Because Democrats can be patriots too.

Yes we can.