Thinking About Today

Here are snatches of some thoughts and conversations I've had since the announcement of Obama as President Elect:

• Black people are really going to need to step up their game. Finally, the world is going to have higher expectations for us. And that's a wonderful, beautiful thing.
• Obama is not the Messiah. He is not going to be able to wave a wand and solve every problem right now. Or even soon.
• I hear people saying how not young minorities can look to Barack Obama and say "I can grow up to be President." He's the first black president & he did it without one before him. We need to teach our children and ourselves to strive to be "the first" in all areas that they want to reach for.
• There is going to be some payback in the workplace for some of us. Until people's feeling, emotions, tempers - whatever - calm down, things will be a little touchy sometimes.
• There have been many successful minorities in various walks of life, but for whatever reason, they have not been as visible to our young people. Well, you can't ignore or hide away the President of the United States.
• When people who didn't vote for the new president get over their disappointment, many of them are going to come around to the idea of being as hopeful as the rest of us. If Obama messes around and cleans up some of this mess we've made of the economy, all those disappointed Republicans will be knocking the rest of us down getting to the polls to vote for him next time.
• I do feel bad for Mr. McCain. To work so hard for something and lose it. Because of his age, this was probably the last shot for him to run this way. No one likes defeat. And to have the campaign fall apart the way it has. To have people you thought were your friends turn out not to be. To have ridden that high and worked that hard for so long. I just can't imagine what the morning after felt like. Maybe he's glad. Hopefully he is resting. Maybe he will put his energy and abilities into doing what he can to help the new Prez.
• Sarah Palin. Well. This has got to be tough for her too. I wonder what has gone through her mind in the past week or so. I wonder what coming down off of that high feels like. Wonder what thoughts she has when she lays down to go to sleep at night.
• If Mr. Obama runs the White House the way he ran his campaign, we're in good hands.
  
• Even though nothing has changed yet. Even though the new prez isn't even sitting in the Office yet, I already feel a personal sense of hope that things will get better. I don't feel so much anxiety about "what now?"
• I wonder what Mr. Bush is feeling. I wonder what anyone about to leave the Job feels.
• What is going on in Hillary Clinton's head? Bill's? Will Hillary run again. Will she be a friend to Obama?
• Wonder what kind of puppy the Obama girls are going to get? (And who gets to clean up behind a puppy in the White House?)
• I saw Jesse Jackson on the night of the election (well, not in person!) and I watched as he cried. I can't imagine what went through his mind. Hope? Joy? Envy? A feeling that if he'd just been born in a different time? I kind of imagine that he was just proud and wistful.

I had lots more thoughts and conversations, but it's all too overwhelming to continue.

Next post, I'm going to get back to a website roundup.

Peace (& hope & change)
--Free

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