I've hemmed and hawed about whether to post my reaction to our new President here on the blog. On the one hand, it feels so intrinsically part of who I am that it almost seems dishonest not to mention it. On the other, you don't come here for political opinions. I know this. And I've seen the laments of fellow authors who watched their readership plunge after taking too big a political stand on a platform given them to discuss some other subject.And yet I feel like I have to talk about it: about how awed I am by Obama's intelligence...and his humility. I can't remember the last time we had anyone with this powerful combination in the White House. It excites me. It gives me hope. As I watch the response around the country and around the world, tears fill my eyes, and the refrain "We got it right..." repeats over and over in my head. This wasn't a normal election, and it wasn't, I suspect, about any of the things we thought it was. On the whole, I think we got it right.
Now, to REALLY blow my commitment to keeping things light and easy on this blog, I'm going to bring the Bible into the conversation! Why? Because it has two great suggestions for all of us, whether we feel like we won or lost in this election:
1. Fret not, it leads only to evil. Don't curse our country and lament about how we're all going to hell in a handbasket. Even if your greatest dream is that the Obama Presidency last only one term, it's okay to believe it might be a good term, for us and for our country.
2. Pray for him. He'll need it.
Thanks for humoring me.
I promise, I'll be back soon to tell you about how THAT DOG's new favorite game is to hide one of her toys somewhere and then bark at me incessently until I hunt it down. Almost like reverse fetch...
:)
10 comments:
i have seen my visitor count explode since talking about the election, yet very few wanting to comment! it's all good (even when we disagree).
thanks for sharing your thoughts, Trish. I think you did a great job :)
I can't wait to hear about this reverse fetch thing...Alfie does something similar with his bones.
My heart was filled with hope Tuesday night...and I wished I was in Grant Park in one of my most favorite cities. :)
The election of Obama filled my heart with hope again because it answered some prayers of mine and I am hoping again. I am praying with more direction and desire, believing in the future of all things again. Hope is a truly powerful thing.
hee. reverse fetch. or like hide and seek, really. :)
happy weekend.
Hey Trish. You know, I didn't vote for Obama, but I wish him well, and I see a lot of benefits to his election. I'll definitely pray for him.
I loved this post. You're right, your election this year was something special - at least from the point of view of a non-American. I don't know if this comes across to people living in the States but I think I can honestly say that the rest of the world, at least from where I sit, is able to respect the United States again. Finally we're hearing Americans talking about their wonderful Constitution and freedom and democracy etc etc without rolling our eyes and feeling the irony. Finally the USA doesn't seem like an insular little club where the noisiest rule politics and everyone else slips through the cracks.
On our local TV news, they interviewed one of the 30,000 Americans living here. She said that up until this election, she was ashamed to say where she was from, and would tell people she was Canadian. But now she can say proudly that she is American. And for once I don't feel like throwing up at the pride. Finally, America's international image echoes to some degree what Americans would like to believe it is.
My two cents. :)
New game? My dog's been doing that since I got her. I think she hid her first tennis ball then expected me to find it. Silly dogs :-)
Well put, Trish. You're so right -- now is the time to come together.
I really believe that if Obama can take the lead and set the tone in having an inclusive conversation in which everyone's voice is heard, we can have a productive four years. If, at the end of this time, one still wants a different president, so be it! At least those who disagree with Obama will feel part of the process in the interim. And speaking from the experience of feeling very excluded over the last 8 years, simply knowing that the opposition is truly listening to your views is very important.
Great posting. It's been weeks since the election and I'm still overjoyed.
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