11.05.2008

Exultation.

I have a confession to make. This whole past year, since I saw Barack Obama speak in February and have been touting his leadership qualities to anyone who would listen, I was secretly afraid. I was afraid it wouldn't happen, that it couldn't happen in America today, that people just weren't ready to elect this man, the deck was stacked against him, that all his momentum would lead to a crushing defeat and we'd all be saying, "It was a nice thought, but it just wasn't his time yet."

I have never been so thrilled to be proven wrong. The voting public in this country made me so proud yesterday, and I've never been more honored to be American than I am today.

Watching the news coverage last night, I was astonished watching people spill into the streets to celebrate. The only time I've seen anyone in this country hug total strangers and dance in the streets is to celebrate their team winning the World Series or Super Bowl. Americans, I thought to myself, just don't do this over an election. Foreign citizens are this passionate about their country's leadership, but not us.

I've never seen, in my lifetime, this many Americans jubilantly united over a single idea.

I let the dog out before I went to bed, and as I opened the door, I strained to hear the shouting and cheering in the streets, but the winds of change didn't carry the joyful noise all the way to my little town in the country. But when I closed my eyes, I could still see them in the streets of our great cities, waving their arms, hugging, cheering, weeping, holding their children up to witness history being made. The people I saw felt liberation, exultation, inspiration.

It's a new day in America.

photo courtesy of boston.com

2 comments:

Marmite Breath said...

Guwi, my friend. That was beautiful. Very true, and gorgeous.

It's a new day, indeed.

Newt said...

I live in a small town (in a red state) and missed the big parties, too.

But it's been fun to celebrate with the rest of the internet. Just less champagne, unfortunately.