O My, Obama

Its hard for me to believe that Barack Obama is our President-Elect. As trite as it sounds, its like a dream come true. I was beginning to loose hope in my country and my countrymen. I was beginning to think that people were too caught up in their own lives, in their own problems, in their own greediness to see that change, that compassion, that the good of the community, the good of the world, was necessary and slipping away. I was beginning to think that compassion was dead, that those suffering across the ocean by our hands were reasoned away, that those starving on our own land were going unnoticed and uncared for. I know that Obama isn't going to be able to fix everything. I know that it will take longer than four years, eight years, twelve years to fix the country, but Obama gives me hope. The election gives me hope. That all these people, from across the nation, from traditionally Republican states, from swing states and even from Democratic states, could look at the world today and see that change is necessary. Vital. That they can see the pain of the world and say "Yes, we can".
The pride I have from my small participation in this change is overwhelming. To say fifty years from now, when my grandchildren are reading about this, "Yes, I was there. I was part of that. I remember." is astonishing, amazing, and beautiful.
As Elise so gracefullly put it, "I can finally say I am proud to be an American!"