One Mama's Thoughts

Dear Mags and Ellie,

I wanted to write a little entry here because I think (along with lots and lots and lots of other people in this country and around the world) that something monumentally important happened last night. We elected a new president named Barack Obama. (Mags, I know you already know how to say his name, but we really still need to work on the fact that he is going to be the President. He is not, as you keep saying, going to be Pregnant.)

Now, we don't talk much at all about politics in our house because you are from "a house divided" as far as much of that stuff goes, and Papa and I tend to vote for different people. We love each other dearly, and I totally respect that your papa has alot of information and knowledge about tons of stuff that I don't take the time to read thoroughly or internalize completely. BUT, I will tell you that I feel really good about having voted for this man. He will be the first African American president, and that is really saying something. With his election, lots of people who have felt like their voices haven't been heard and who believed that their possibilities in life were limited have been given reason to believe that perhaps they, too, CAN achieve their dreams. And, as a mom, it brings a tear to my eye when I realize that you will grow up in a world where it will be a matter of fact that a black person can be elected to the highest office in the land. To paraphrase something he said in his big speech in Chicago last night - "We are the UNITED States of America" - red, blue, black, white, gay, straight, city, country... UNITED. And, for the first time in a long time, it felt really good deep down inside me to be a part of that. I felt proud - and excited.

The other thing I'm feeling is HOPE. Hope for the future. Our country's in a bit of a bad way now (to put it mildly), and Barack Obama will have a job to do that I don't envy even a little bit. I don't know how he'll go about it or how successful he'll be, but I know this: MILLIONS of people are feeling that same hope. People are engaged. People are talking. People care. And, people want things to be better. I believe that with that much of a positive force behind him - and with so much of the world willing him to succeed - Barack Obama will be able not only to do great things, but also to inspire others among us to dream big, work hard and maintain a persistent belief in our ability to make a better world.

I don't think I've ever before invoked God on this blog, but I feel like saying "God Bless America," and I think I might just say a prayer for our president-elect's good judgement, wise counsel and personal fortitude.

Love, Mama