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It's been an amazing week of change for the nation, for our home, for our girls. We started the week with the girls' first horseback riding lessons. The long-awaited pony time takes place within 2 miles of our house, which is a big bonus. Both girls were thrilled with their time on horseback. I was happy to see the young instructor start out with the basics - safety, catching your horse, prepping your horse and properly putting your horse away.
Tuesday brought great excitement to our house. At the risk of offending family, friends and strangers alike, I'll tell you I've never been so excited about politics. Really. If any of President Obama's promises pan out, I'll be thrilled, but what was most wonderful about the five hours we spent in front of the tube (besides the company and the super scrumptious celebratory pancake breakfast I made) was seeing so many people coming out in support of our new president. And what has been most wonderful about this week is the sense of pride we see throughout our community. There's a repeated theme that goes something like this, "Finally, I can once again be proud to be an American." Watching history in the making was fantastic for all of us as well. The event gave us a lot to talk about, and the girls had nearly five hours of questions, though the questions really haven't stopped.
I was excited, yes, but I got to wondering why I wasn't standing in a suit (like Uncle R.) or crying (like Auntie M.) or having a party (like some of our SMILe friends, though I was coughing and sneezing, so we begged off). I think I figured it out when I recalled friends and family watching the 2008 election coverage telling me, "This country will never elect an African-American." I never felt that way. Maybe it's a generational thing. Maybe it's because, deep down inside, I'm an idealist, and since my parents and (most) teachers raised me to treat people equally, to believe that all people had equal potential, I believed it. Did I have any doubts? Sure. When people said "never," it gave me pause. But as election night drew near, I knew that, given the current political climate and the candidates offered, if Barack Obama didn't win, something was SERIOUSLY wrong with my native land. I'm glad America didn't let me down.
There was another shift at our house this week, too, on the music front. This week the girls had their much-anticipated first violin lesson. E asked for a violin years ago, and this year V chimed in for a "fiddle." Saturday we picked up the rental instruments, and Tuesday we met Mrs. D. The first lesson: how to treat your instrument, how to hold your instrument, how to make a sound that won't send your parents packing these violins back to the rental shop.
Sometimes, change is good.
Like him or not... Obama IS our President, and our nation desperately NEEDS change of many types. I hope things will go in a positive direction under his leadership. I also believe that most of us do agree with his thoughts on at least some of the many challenges that we all face. I'm excited to hear that you're involving the girls in the process and events, that's great!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Socialism.
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny, I just read your blog on this, and I have been having some of the same puzzlement, especially when listening to newscasters, do they really think it’s just about race??
ReplyDeleteFor me, (and maybe some at the party) It’s not so much the demographics of the latest candidate spread, but that Bush LEFT OFFICE.
After the fiasco of 2000, when the supreme court had to sort out an election because the people’s vote was not in agreement with the electoral college, I , and probably a lot of other people had a sneaky feeling we had lost our democracy and had entered into some sort of dynastic dictatorship a la Castro. (who’s next, Jeb?). During the next 8 years the Bush regime so disregarded the rule of law, and human rights in the name of the war on terror, that there was a very real spot deep down in my gut, that wondered, if the regime would ever end. THIS election put an end to that, but I’m not sure I really believed it until I saw that Obama survived the swearing in. The election of a republican like Ron Paul would have satisfied that in me too. These are just my private hunches, not exactly rational, but still, those awful feelings you get when you suspect you’re living at the dawn of a new dark ages. Countries have coupe’s, revolutions and invasions all the time which alter the lives of millions and the course of history. For me this peaceful transition of power, represents the dream of the founding fathers, that the PEOPLE can still elect their leaders, that elections are NOT a sham, a renewed faith in the democratic process, the good-faith counting of votes, and that our freedom has not perished.
Exactly. It's not JUST about the change in leadership, but the fact that we believe THIS time, without a shadow of a doubt, that the democratic process was served. We believe THIS time that the candidate has the ideals that may set this country back on track, rather than qualities that served the rich at the cost of the rest of us. It's not about race. It's about electing a person who appears to be thoughtful, intelligent, cool, calm and collected.
ReplyDeleteI may not agree with some of his policies. I don't know anyone who agrees with all of mine. Still, he can form whole sentences and explain what it is he intends to do. I like that in a national leader.