Yes We Did

I am still on a cloud of euphoria about Obama's election.  Every time I see him I get this unbelievable urge to do cartwheels.  I have watched his acceptance speech about 3 times, each and every time getting moved to tears and all choked up.  When he speaks, there is always this underlying current of motivation, inspiration, and call to action.  I truly hope that is one of the things he carries with him to the Presidency; his power to motivate. Because he is just the beginning of the long road to change.  

I have to admit I have become slightly obsessed.  Everyday I check to see if he has announced another cabinet member.  I don't know most of Bush's cabinet.  Every headline containing his name draws my undivided attention.  I hope that I can maintain this passion rather then let it fizzle with passing years as I have done with past elections.  I want to be more involved but don't really know how so I figure the more informed I am the better.  But I want to do more than just be informed.  I want to make a concrete attempt to remain passionate and invested in my country.  I am thinking of looking into some volunteer experiences for Wyatt and I to do together.  He is too young for Habitat but maybe dog walking at a shelter.

I feel that the present administration has been one of fear.  Fear that we will be attacked by an unknown terrorist.  Fear that foreign countries are hiding weapons.  Fear that our government will take away our civil liberties.  Fear that we will lose our homes.  Fear that seeps into our daily lives, breeding paranoia, and paralyzing any desire to speak out.  Obama's campaign shined a beacon of hope; a ray of light that things will get better.  I would like to believe that there is truth in the passion he has inspired rather then some genus marketing ploy that played on the publics optimism.  I want to do better, be better.  That is what I believe makes America so great.  It is the possibility, the optimism, and the generous, loving, giving nature of our people.  (Before anyone gets uproarious about that picture, let me explain: on Nov. 4th someone stole our Obama sign and this was our feeble attempt to maintain our Obama Pride.)

Wyatt, my love, this election year was an eye opening, monumental experience for me in many ways most of which stemmed from having you. But what I would like you to learn from this election, in particular, is the notion Obama expressed in his victory speech.  "That the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals - democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope."  I want to teach you about love and compassion.  I want to teach you that there are always several sides to every story.  I want to teach you about all religions and then let you choose for yourself what you want to believe.  I want to teach you that there is power in knowledge, but even more power in reaching out and loving other people, people who might be very different than you.  I want to teach you that you can make a difference and that your voice does matter.  I want to teach you that life is about relationships and friends and giving everything you've got.  "The fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope; and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."