Stirrings of Pride

Despite following this historic United States election for two solid years now, I had to admit that in the face of overwhelmingly positive preliminary polls, I had butterflies in my stomach.1

To adequately explain the feeling, I would have to ask you all to remember back to what it felt like being a child and knowing that the next morning when you woke up, there would be Christmas presents under your tree. Not because I was going to get material, or financial gifts from this election, but because I was going to get a gift of something far more soul nourishing and heart warming.2

It's easy to drift toward cynicism and pragmatism in these times, especially during the last eight years. I felt my wellspring of love for this country sapped by self-defeating policies and divisive issues meant to keep people focused on tiny portions of a much larger picture that desperately needed attention, lest it grow out of control into an ugly portrait of our own demise.3

As opponents, there were no better to illustrate the inherent problems in the system, than a once great Senator who sold his ideals for traction, and the Alaskan witch meant to inspire all the least common denominators of a fiercely rabid base of regressive moralists.4

When their constant barrage of baseless accusations, and thinly veiled attempts at race baiting, fear mongering, and outright lying didn't work, something akin to a spark of hope began to pulse in my otherwise stony realist heart.5

Maybe this time, the right guy would win. Maybe this time, I wouldn't feel like I had been sucker punched the next day. Maybe this time, a true intellectual will get the keys to the kingdom.6

In the wee hours of the morning, I took a pleasant stroll to my polling location and cast my vote for Barack Hussein Obama.7

My location this time was an elementary school I attended sixteen years ago. Walking the hallways and seeing the auditorium added a quality of surreality to the event that I wouldn't have expected, but drank deeply of regardless. After my vote was tallied, and I exited into the crisp November air, I wanted to skip. I felt giddy.8

A candidate who had inspired me deeply, on many levels, by his sheer existence, biography, and the fact that he had made it so far, had just gotten my vote, and not only mine, but millions more, and things were looking alright. With nothing left to do but watch the drama unfold, I went home did just that.9

The night started off rocky, as election nights do, but sooner than anyone expected, a mandate was evident. This time, politics of hope, progress, and truth, were going to prevail against politics of fear, ignorance, and deceit.10

As the writing revealed itself on the wall, and my heart thumped with the dying kicks of a lifetime cynic, there was one last grasp keeping my spirit from soaring; the victory speech. With so many in attendance, and so many ways for something to go disastrously, soul-crushingly wrong, I watched with hitched breaths and quiet weeping eyes, as my next President gave a rousing, heartfelt speech about the new day coming for the United States of America. I watched as the next families of America, beautiful in many different ways, hugged and rallied on stage to the enraptured cheers of tens of thousands from every walk of life before quietly exiting the stage.11

It was over. It really happened. My wish came true. I still couldn't stop grinning.12

I know that for a large portion of the nation, their man did not get in, but I urge you with all of the candor I can muster to follow your guy's lead and do your best to work with the new President. Don't be angry, don't be defeated, don't be part of the wacky crowd that tries to call a routine shift in tax policy socialism. Don't be that person.13

The McCain that conceded tonight was the John McCain of years past, the real maverick had at last surfaced, and unfortunately for him, it was far too late to matter after the ashes of his campaign were already to wind, but his message was clear, and hopeful; we're going to get through the trying times if we work together.14

I didn't believe it until today, maybe you can believe it tomorrow. Look at the jubilant crowds, not just here, but all around the world. Good will toward our nation is going to soar for a time, lets hitch on and ride it for all it's worth, and do our best to keep it from crashing down to earth. Kick your cynic to the curb and recognize the power we all have; when we work in harmony, we can take on any problem, any crisis, and defeat it.15

History was made, but there's even more to be written in the coming years!