Suddenly Sharon

What a time to be an American! Did you watch on Tuesday, have you ever seen anything like that? Well some of you have I am sure and there are some of you who probably are not quite as thrilled as some of the rest of us are, but all in all a great day for our country nonetheless.
The fact that we have come so far in our relatively young country to overcome the horrible realities of our past and honor the election of our first African American president is breathtaking and wonderful and every adverb you can think of. I was just so proud to be a citizen of a country that can get through all the previous hatred and come out to celebrate an event that will change the history of our country forever. It was so inspiring to see, even through a television screen. I was so glad that Emily and her classmates got to watch in school, as she was full of questions when she got home. I was so proud of her for recognizing that something special had just taken place. It is wonderful and heartwarming to see her little face light up when she is excited about something she has just learned. She is too young to know about the events of the past 100 years. I remember as a child seeing on the news the stories that we have all come to know, I never understood how we as a society could possibly look down on another human being because their skin is darker than our's. Didn’t make sense to me at 7 years old and makes even less sense as I approach my 40’s. Yesterday was a historical and miraculous day, but I took so much more away with me than the fact that our new president was black. I was excited and inspired by the man I saw before me...just the man, not the color of his skin.
This is where this is going to get a little harder to write, because putting into words what is going through my mind is so much easier to say than to write in a way that is even the least bit professional. My thoughts are all over the place and I just can’t seem to put them into any kind of order. I have voted in a few elections now and, although I registered as an independent and my knowledge about politics is somewhat foggy, I really payed attention this year. I watched all I could, I read newspapers and went online to read all I could about all the candidates. I argued with friends and family about policy and character and wanted more than anything to make the best decision possible.
The reason had nothing to do with me. I am content and pretty much know where my life is going and how it is going to end, and what I am going to do. I have been living the American dream for seven years now. I own my own business and I thank god every day for the opportunity to do so. I have a good marriage, a nice home, a cat and three girls that I love very much and live for every day. It was for the girls that I did all my research. Especially for Nicole and Samantha. They are at a place in their lives where they have so many roads ahead of them and so many choices to make, and the state of our country is going to make a difference in those choices. Nicole works her butt off to pay for her apartment and for school to achieve her R.N. degree. She has had dreams and goals her whole life and to see her bogged down with financial problems hurts. Not being able to help hurts worse. Student loans will bury her and rent and utilities aren’t going to help. Sammi is married and planning to start a family, and her husband is part of a family- run business, and the state of our economy effects her in so many ways. My nephew is in Iraq making all of us proud doing a wonderful job of keeping us safe, but worrying about him is an everyday occurance. I really started to think about the world outside of the safety of our home and family cocoon. They have to navigate and deal with the fallout of the decisions the generations before them have made.
So yesterday as I watched all the festivities and I watched the face of the man I had chosen to lead us into a new place of security, I felt pride and hope and a renewed commitment to improve not only my life but the lives of those around me. I could do more for my community and for my girls and for the betterment of all of us. He inspired me to reach further and help my girls to achieve all they want to. I hadn’t felt this much faith in a very long time. Yesterday my friends was a very good day, and I am so excited to see what the next four years are going to bring to all of us. Won’t it be a thrill to take part in the rising of a nation.