Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Yes!

I’ve had a killer cold for the past few days, so last night when the election results were coming in, I was curled up in an armchair while Brandon and Caleb were watching the results trickle in. My heart couldn’t take the maybe yes/ maybe no, not after these eight years. I sat there and read Dreams from My Father. Maybe you’ve heard of it, by a Mr. Barack Obama?

It was a very soothing evening, the sort of hopeful one that I haven’t had in many years. I thought about the small throng of people at the polling place in front of the “First Time Voters” table I saw earlier that day. I thought about the fact that issues I care about (and have written about in Brain, Child and in my book)—like what place government has in our lives, health care, the stock market’s weaknesses—were actually part of a national conversation now. I thought especially about my friends at the Virginia Organizing Project and how thrilled they must be that one of their own would be in the executive branch.

I woke up this morning like it was Christmas. Ooh, what did the American electorate bring me last night? A President-Elect Obama?

Yes, you did.

Hey, if you’re excited about the momentum (and I know, not all of you are) and live in Virginia and want to keep up on local and state-wide issues, check out VOP. It's like in the Chicago part of Dreams from My Father, except, you know, both here and now.

Earnest and out.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

YES YES YES!

Gina Kelly said...

I loved Oprah's t-shirt today "Hope Won!" Yes!!

Unknown said...

Go Jennifer!!! It most definitely was an exciting time!! Oh my, I also fell asleep only to wake at 2:00 a.m., see the results, watch a bit of coverage and go back to sleep to wake at 5:00. It was absolutely awesome and I'm still riding the high. There is HOPE once again!!!

Beth HF said...

I felt like it was Christmas too....a Barack Obama all wrapped up under my tree.It's hard to believe that VA has never reflected my views until yesterday. Can you believe he won in Loudoun???

jessica handler said...

Yay, Virginia - there is an Obama! Georgia nearly went for Obama, and those of us in Atlanta did, for sure. I am so, so happy and relieved that we got our country back.

M. woke me at 11 yelling, "Wake up! He won!"

What a wonderful thing.

Jennifer said...

I hope it lasts and lasts. I told my grandfather that I got him a Democratic president for his 86th birthday.