05 November 2008

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - 10 comments

And then I cried

The chills ran up and down my body last night as I sat with my husband and son watching history unfold in our living room, inside our home which sits on the ground of the freest country in the world. I listened with intent ears at the words being said. I answered the questions that left my son's lips. I looked at my husband and smiled. I looked at the TV and felt a deep connection to the faces on the screen. Faces of every color, every sex, young and old and rich or poor. I am one of them, they are me.

As a registered independent I started off this election campaign with trepidation, fear of my past vote and uncertainty of my future vote. Would I again make the same mistake? I began to look at what is important to me as a citizen of these great United States of America and then it hit me, somewhere, somehow we stopped being united. Although we have the right to have different opinions and make our own voice be heard, we lost the knowledge of our ties together. Our links that bind us as Americans. We forgot how we got here. At that point, my choice for president would depend on 4 simple words. United. States. Of. America.

At first I tried keeping count of how many times each candidate said these four words in speeches and the debates, I quickly lost count, but I was soon seeing that the person I thought I wanted to see in the white house was only saying America. He seemed blind to the loss of connection with the citizens of the country he wanted to manage. The other candidate I was unsure of, was using those four words I so badly wanted to hear with a passion, with a desire to reconnect those of us who had become untied.

When I shared this information with my husband he laughed. I tried to explain myself, but found that my desire to hear those four words was my own need, no one elses. Or so I thought. At one point during the victory speech of our next president of these United States of America, my husband sucked in a breath and said wow...
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
President Elect, Barack Obama

As the chills crept through my body and entered my soul last night I thought of my grandparents, and what they would think of this historical moment in time. My ancestors who fought in wars to make my upbringing free. Made choices for my future. My grandparents who to me were the last to really feel that our country was truly united. I wished my grandmother Beaulah Elizabeth could be here to see this. I dreamed of listening to my grandfathers, Harold and Emzy talk about their thoughts, as I'm sure they may not agree with what was happening but would be proud of being citizens of the United States of America and stand together with their new president. As I thought of my past I saw a woman step on the stage to join her humbled husband as the crowd cheered him on.

And then I cried.

This beautiful woman is going to be our next First Lady. She will open the doors of the White House to welcome world leaders. She will sit at state dinners with the knowledge of her ancestral past and be proud. She will travel the world as the wife of the president of the United States of America. She will make a difference in not only the lives of her daughters, but in the lives of daughters of every color across this beautiful country.

I sit here today and say that I am proud and I am humbly honored.

I am proud and honored to be a citizen of The United States Of America.

10 comments:

Great post. I was sitting watching that same speech go out live (only it was about 5am here!!).

AND, so you should!

Lea
xo

I am ashamed to admit that I haven't seen it yet. I hurt my neck and have been in terrible pain and turned the t.v. off and went to bed shortly after they called it.

I feel sad for my friends and family who are disappointed in the outcome of this election and pray that their worries are unfounded.

Whatever party you side with, there is no denying that history was made last night.

Now if only we could keep people as interested in the state of affairs of our country as they have been for the last year all the time!

AMEN!!!!! and I'm from Canada!!!!


Doreen in Montreal single mom to Faith-Jiangxi & Mia-Sichuan

Great post Kayce....It was an amazing night for our Country!!

Bravo….you speak volumes from your fabulous mind, heart and soul….bravo!!!

Now your post has my eyes all watered up. I too am very happy and cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Beautiful, heartfelt post..
I was so proud I could share this wonderful moment in history with my girls!

Kayce this is a wonderful post!! VERY, VERY well said. It made me all teary.

Actually I read your post yesterday evening but didn't have time to comment. Later that night I saw bits and pieces of the speech, and I saw the part you quoted. It was very powerful. It made me think again of you. Thanks for sharing your feelings.

Wonderful post!! I just want to say that it is refreshing to see a post by someone who isn't bashing the election. I personally think this is the change this country needs. Not on a financial level but, a global level.
Why does it alway have to do with race? it's America..Hello, melting pot?

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