Election Day '08

I will admit it. I am not the most political animal by a long shot. I make up my mind and vote accordingly without a lot of discussion or hoopla. Doing my job quietly and getting it done. I have never seen anyone sway someone else to their candidate by pummeling them with their thoughts on the subject. This year I made up my mind months before the primaries were even a glint on the horizon. I saw this beautiful, eloquent and smart young man on C-SPAN one day and thought to myself 'there is the next president'. So, I was not at all surprised that other people thought so too when he got tapped to run. I have watched and listened to more political stuff than ever before. I started to pay attention to other people's rhetoric. That brought me the understanding that in general we vote for the candidate that thinks most like us. Or at least the one that thinks least differently than us.  This morning as I was walking in to work the energy was phenomenal. There was a light of hope in the eyes of everyone around me - regardless of their political leanings. Until the ballots are counted, we are all enfranchised. We all count. We are all winners.  In particular, I noticed a hope in the eyes of the African Americans around me. Of course! They have waited a long time to have a candidate who looks like them on the ballot. I would be excited and energetic too. I am glad that I have lived to see this possibility.  Maybe someday I will see that same light in the eyes of women everywhere. Wouldn't that be fucking fantastic??? That would be a great day. But that is farther in the future. For today I will kick back and let it come - whatever the results.  And tomorrow I will get up and support whoever is elected. Just as I always do.