11/5/08

I woke up this morning and had to remind myself it was real. And when Lily woke up this morning, her first words were, “Did he win?” It meant so much to hear her say that, not because she likes Barack Obama, because she is just following her parents on that, but that she is interested. She was fascinated with all the results flashing across the screen last night and was full of questions.

I don’t really know how to describe my feelings today. I have already held back tears more times than I will admit. I would have been happy to have this man elected if his skin was any color of the rainbow cause I think he is the best man for the job at hand. We have to admit, though, that it is especially significant that he is a man who, just about 150 years ago, could have been considered property by some people. Last night, seeing Jesse Jackson, a man who was with Martin Luther King, Jr. the day he died, nearly breaking down watching Obama’s victory speech (I am sure with a mixture of pride and some sadness too that he was born just a little too soon) was more than I could handle. This morning watching an impromptu recitation of “I Rise” by a burstingly proud Maya Angelou was something I will always remember, and finally, seeing Donna Brazile note that President-elect Obama will take the Oath of Office on steps that were built by slaves who could have never imagined this event - all of these things reminded me that we are now a part of history- for real.

Now comes the hard part, but we can do it. (Come on, you know the rest.)