Living The Dream

I have to say that today, after eight years and two elections, I am proud to be an American. Of course, I was an Obama fan from the start, but I think I really knew that he was the one who needed to win the presidency when I heard his speech at the Democratic National Convention. The part that struck me most was this:

"...it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend. That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot. And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream. The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred. But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one. "We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back." America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess. Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America."

All of us, except Jack, had the stomach flu yesterday, so I was glad I got out to vote early. We were all up at 2 AM watching the results because we were all up anyway (I waited out the concession speech from McCain before I went to bed), and Max was up with us. He was so excited to see that Obama had won, and Steve said something that really struck me. He said that it was amazing to think that the first President of the United States that Max will remember will be African-American. Now, I know our country is far from perfect, and that racism is still alive and well, but realizing this about Max made me feel that we are closer now to living Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream, in an America where people are judged "not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." I am proud to have been a very small part of making his dream a reality.