What a month, an amazing November like no other.
I am thrilled, so, so over joyed and thankful. I am most appreciative to the "
young" people who got serious about voting. Who volunteered, and called, and ultimately made the difference. And it will make a difference, I truly believe that.
I want to believe we have reached a breaking point. Where the
middle class can no longer sustain its position under in-adequate cost of living adjustments. We are working solely to pay for our living expenses. At a certain point people just crack. They loose all sense of drive and feelings of accomplishment. It is simply too easy to slide into the lowest middle income bracket. Behind in bills with the amount coming in equalling less than the amount necessary to go out.
In my own personal and extended family we are feeling the economic slowdown and damn near grinding to a halt in some areas of the
construction fields. With my husband working 50-60 hours in the grime and dirt of concrete (we'll take any OT they offer) and my 60'ish father still hammering away on restorative carpentry projects. The Boston area millionaires have decided to put off restoring their 1800's homes and carriage barns. The New York millionaires have delayed the construction of huge second homes in the greater Berkshire area, robbing Fred of at least two large projects they had hoped to see them through the cold weather period.
Even my daughters father, an electrician, dragged me into court this Spring to try to have his child support lowered since he had been laid off in NH (we are reconvening 12/1).
Unemployment throughout the country is at an all time high in many different fields. People want to work, the complaint is that there is no work.
So when a man, a man from a working class family no less, speaks about leveling the playing field in our country- I want to believe. And when I watched the debates, and I saw the crowds gathering for his speeches, I started to actually think it was possible. On the night of the election, after schlepping the family to the voting booths and back, we dragged our 13" TV out of the closet and set it on a chair in the living room. We made pop corn and tea and watched as the polling stations closed through out the states. When Ohio's results came in we jumped up and almost woke up Kai Misikir. Even my mother called from a hotel where she was staying during a school accreditation team meeting. It was so exciting. And the speech? It was perfect and honestly made me cry. Was it possible? Did he really make this happen and no one can steal it away this time?
And how awesome was it that he
cancelled the fire works display? I thought that was right on.
In the end, the truth of the matter is that I am not a very trusting person. I am not sure why exactly, but I want to see what a President Obama will do in the white house. Will he make it possible for people to keep their homes? Will he stand up to the pharmaceutical companies and actually implement a health care system for all people in this country, not just those that can afford it?
And most importantly, will he continue to be worthy of the
role model status he is becoming for children everywhere? I genuinely believe he is capable if he continues to operate in the fashion he has so aptly displayed thus far.
So did you vote?
Thank you so much for giving this man a chance to turn our economically depressed country into something we do not have to be embarrassed to claim love for. President Elect Obama knows what its like to have to borrow thousands and thousands of dollars from the government to attend an institution of higher education. He has experienced life in America in a way no other past president has. Not just that he is a black man who has grown up in our white society. Not just that he was a bi racial child being raised by white grandparents in a predominantly Asian community. Or that he had exposure to various religions growing up and had the opportunity to live in different countries.
In the end it is that he has walked the walk and talked the talk. He has lived through financial struggle and worked at the grass root level. He has spoken eye to eye to those that are suffering and angry and desperate. He doesn't show fear towards the ignorant because he refuses to operate out of anger and intolerance. He knows why they are scared- just look at what the past eight years has been saying to people!
BE SCARED! BE ON ALERT! BE FEARFUL OF DIFFERENCES!!!!!!!!
I love that he chose the word Hope throughout his campaign, its what so many of us need right now. There were times I didn't believe that we would be able to adopt from Ethiopia, when I was loosing my belief in our ability to continue. Deep down it was just my hope, my deepest desire to parent another child, my inner pull to travel to Africa, that pushed me forward. And so I understand how powerful hope can be, how inspirational and fruitful the possibilities suggest.
It is what I hold on to when I look at my children, so beautiful, so strong. I have hope that they will have the tools to navigate their journey through life, whatever choices they may make.
I hope that education will be accessible to them, dental care available, forests so dense you cant hear a car for miles to hike through.
So Mr. President Elect Obama, you have inspired us and given us moments of greatness to believe in. Our patient hope lies in your hands. Be brave, and know that we believe you are.
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