I voted on my way to work yesterday after a very realistic dream that had me convinced that I was going to end up in labor and would miss my chance to vote in the most historic election I have seen in my (almost) 30 years. This is the third presidential election that I had the privilege to vote in and the very first that the person I voted for actually won. Today is the first time I have woken up on the morning after the election and felt a sense of hope, of excitement, of change.
When I saw Obama take PA and then OH, I knew it was over. I sighed and thanked the people in this country for giving me hope. For giving my children hope. My faith in humanity, in the goodness of others, was restored because America said enough is enough and demanded change.
For the first time in my adult life, this country, the United States of America, felt united. At least it felt united to me.
I know there are plenty of people that didn't vote the same as me and are feeling that sense of fear and frustration that I felt after the last two elections and I feel for you. I understand that your views do not necessarily echo my own and I think that it is important that both sides exist for the sake of questioning what is right and what is wrong. Your side will win again and the tides will shift again as that is the nature of the democracy we are all so lucky to have.
I wasn't going to post anything political at all on this site until I realized last night that this blog is the journal of my life and of my children's lives. And when these words are printed to be permanently preserved for them to look back on someday, I don't want them to wonder why their mom didn't feel compelled to mention one of the biggest events to ever happen in her lifetime. I don’t want them to wonder if I cared. I don’t want them to wonder why she didn't stand up and say that she is proud that the color of his skin didn't stop one extremely charismatic, honorable man from being elected to the most powerful position in the world. I don't want them to wonder in 50 years on which side I would have stood.
I hope that I can teach them to become empathetic, kind, sharing individuals who see the world the same way as I do. The way the world was shown to me by my parents. I hope that I can show them that there is something out there bigger than me, bigger than them, and that it is our responsibility to help those that are less fortunate than us. I hope that I can teach them how to see the world for what it should be and what I hope it will be rather than for what it sometimes is. And if they see things differently? That’s OK too.
Today is a big day, the beginning of a new time in this country. I know that I have expectations that are probably too high. But the hope, the excitement, the enormity of it all that I feel today is something that I won’t easily forget.
well said.
Posted by: kim | November 05, 2008 at 10:37 AM
feeling the same...I couldn't have said it better.
Posted by: Tara | November 05, 2008 at 12:26 PM
My hope is that when our kids are old enough to vote, it really won't matter whether the candidate is black, white, or purple; male or female. I hope they always vote with their heart and their head in equal parts. And, of course, that they always vote Republican :) - sorry, had to do it!
Posted by: The Mommy | November 05, 2008 at 01:19 PM
right on. crazy that our grandkids could be reading about this in the history books someday. ahhhhh yeah.
Posted by: jenny | November 05, 2008 at 08:09 PM