I’m still high on the election. Whenever I feel a down moment, I just remind myself, “Obama won!” and I perk right back up. I have been obsessively watching video clips of influential people’s reactions to the victory, like the Maya Angelou clip below. (Get ready to tear up, folks). The best part is, when I open up my laptop, I find an open website that tells me Diene has been doing the very same thing - googling for speeches by and about Obama. I am grateful for the shared interest we have - one that I think especially admirable for someone who can’t legally vote here.
My dad stopped for dinner yesterday on his way through town and we all went out to dinner. Great fun - and definitely grateful for the suprise visits.
When I was traveling through India in the months immediately following September 11th, 2001 the news from the United States was war, war, war. First in Afghanistan, then the War on Terror, and eventually Iraq. When a Sikh gas station attendant was murdered because some ignorant redneck with a gun thought his turban made him a terrorist, it made headlines in India, the country that is home to Sikhs. I told everyone I was Canadian.
Now, the USA has something to be proud of. I am grateful to be proud to tell people I am an American the next time I travel abroad.
One day, we will sit down with our children and they’ll ask, “Where were you when Barack Obama was elected?” The first black man in the white house. The first African son to rule on American soil. Born a century ago, he would’ve counted as 3/5 a man. Today, he is the man leading American forward to a nation of true brotherhood, a country united for peace and freedom.
We’ll tell our children we invited friends over, to play a board game to pass the time. We compulsively checked the New York Times online all night, watching headlines crest from “Obama wins Ohio Dampening McCain’s Campaign” to “OBAMA: Racial Barrier Falls as Voters Embrace Call for Change.” We drank red wine, ate vegan cranberry muffins, and were happy to be in the company of good friends.
The moment we realized Obama had won was when we heard John McCain’s concession speech on NPR.org, streamed from my MacBook via wireless internet.
We looked around at each other, nervous to celebrate too early. After we finally convinced ourselves, I made everyone take this picture, so our children can laugh about how much younger their parents looked and how outdated their fashion was.
I can hardly stand the excitement today! This morning, after my alarm radio went off, I was about to roll over and go back to sleep until I heard the WPR reporter say, “Its Election Day 2008″ and I bounded out of bed! I voted early yesterday and ran into a friend in line- another freelance writer. Talking shop made the time pass so quickly.
Now, its all I can do not to check cnn.com every five seconds. For those of you Madisonian readers, Dane101.com has collective reporting today from voters. Fun to read.
I am grateful for the right to vote, the gorgeous weather on election day, my friend Kevin, all my liberal friends, and being a part of history in the making.
Here in North Carolina, autumn feels 3 weeks or so behind Wisconsin. Today was a sunny day and trees are still boasting with their bright colors. It feels like I was given a second chance to appreciate the change of seasons that I took for granted back home a few weeks ago. What luck! I am so grateful for the warm welcome in Greensboro - both by the people and the weather!
