Powerful Hope

I went to bed early last night. Woke up at 6am but couldn't move my limbs to get out of the bed. Did not arrive at my local polling station until 7:45am. :(

But :) !

I had a good time. John F. Kennedy HS had a line that wrapped around the side of the building. The main parking lot was full. Wasn't exceptionally cold. I stopped at Starbucks for some hot chocolate beforehand.

I made a few friends during the wait. The man in front of me described the Obama/Biden rally in Manassas, VA the prior night. He stood for four hours to hear Obama speak. From 11am-8pm tonight he is devoted to getting out the vote in VA.

Two people ahead of me was a very pregnant woman in pink flip flops and tights. She stood for the entire two hours and did not complain once. She cast her vote with the biggest smile.

Countless elderly and disabled citizens voted early this morning. I'm sure they had memories of the 60s and 70s......how could they NOT vote?!

Finally we entered the building and a picture of JFK was at the door. Suddenly I felt sentimental about what was going on this morning. We turned a corner and a black and white photo of MLK on the Mall after he delivered his Speech was on the wall. I read the entire speech while I waited. I looked around and everyone else in line near me was reading it too. Sobering moment....

I know we didn't vote for Barack because he's black. I was just sooo happy that I was able to vote for a black man that IS the BEST candidate to be President. The fact that I saw his name at the very top of my ballot.....AMAZING. And behind it all is the suffering of African Americans decades ago. We all know that lives were lost fighting for this ability to vote....but really think about it. How serious that is! I cannot think of a single public figure in my lifetime that I've been so proud of.

There are dozens of election parties I could attend tonight but I'm going to stay home. I want to watch this in the privacy of my room. Either way I'm gonna shed some tears. And it's not for Obama himself but for all those who are asleep in their graves who's dream he represents.

Hope is so powerful.