Relief

I still have to fight back the tears when I hear snippets of Obama's speech from the other night. I can only imagine how those have been warriors in this battle for longer than I have been alive must have felt watching the crowds of tearful and happy people cheer on our new leader. So many people have suffered and died while fighting for their rights, but this is not just a fight for race, but also gender and for other minority groups. As a woman I can see how this can pave the way for all who have suffered for things that do no involve character but rather aesthetics. For example, the women I have seen black and white photo's of who fought for our rights to vote who were jailed, spit on, and starved. I have to say that my watery eyes were from my support for those who fought so hard, but also for the mere thought of a new chance for hope and change. We can now see the light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel than seemed, four years ago, to not have an end in a world that did not seem to make sense or have logic. Now I can say that at least half of the country is willing to take part in change and restoration. Here's the thing though: The battle does not stop here, as Obama said, we do have a long, uphill road ahead. We should not let go of our motivation for change that was generated by the election. We need to keep going and gather together to help make the changes we want because one man (in this case) cannot do it alone. Those of us who have suffered from the economy, some more than others, should think about the changes we want and pass this along to those who can help us see those changes come true.

I was also thinking today about how there is a sort of a feeling of hypervigilance when there is an election. Our emotions get so inflated by the drama and the media and when it is over, the media and politicians go on about their business while the rest of the country is left with the aftermath. It's like we are left to clean up the emotional debris after a storm of emotions, but for the media and politicians this is just normal business. It reminds me of those Ralph wolf and Sam sheepdog cartoons where they clock in and out like it's no big deal that one was about to eat someone alive. It's frustrating whether your candidate wins or loses because all of the sudden everything is out of your hands; opposed to before the election is over when you feel you can still vote, volunteer, etc. in order to make a difference. Now, even with Obama's win, I feel an overwhelming sense of the old "hurry up and wait" feeling, like "Now what?"