I could barely sleep last night; the excitement was palpable. We stayed up and watched the returns, McCain's speech, Obama's speech. We talked and cried.The world has just witnessed history in the making, at a profound level. Our country will never be the same. The world is shifting. Citizens spoke through their democratic right to vote and said, "enough." As a friend of mine stated last night, this must be why we had to withstand 8 years of George W. Bush. Perhaps I wouldn't be typing this message if it weren't for the outcome of his administration and all that it manifested for people. Would we have elected the first black president of the United States of America without enduring that?
Though I know everyone's life has now been affected, as a mom, I witnessed yesterday's events with my daughter in mind every step of the way. I took her with me to the polling station so she could watch her mom vote and vote for Barack Obama! And as I watched last night's events unfold, I realized that her life will now be dramatically different. Everytime she sees our new president on TV or in the newspaper, she will see herself and the possibilities that wait for her. NOTHING is unattainable and she will have a different perspective on racism. I can think of nothing more exciting and hopeful than that. The possibilities for her life have now changed, regardless of what we do as her parents.
Again, the wise friend that I spoke with yesterday talked about trying to explain racism to her daughter (who is white) to share the significance of this election. But, she stopped herself. Our childrens' reality no longer needs to be made up of OUR experience and perspective. They now have their own and it will be different from this moment forward. Who are we to influence that? Let them have this new reality, the normalcy of a black president. Isn't that profound and powerful? It is a new reality for our children. I am moved and excited for our future. What a day, what a day it was!!!
