Cautiously Ecstatic

Well, how bout' that?

In an e-mail this morning, a friend described feeling "Cautiously Ecstatic".

I think that's perfect phrasing.

Another friend e-mailed sharing his sense of enthusiasm.

Another friend called and commented on a "mysterious feeling". "Is this what hope feels like?" she asked. Her question carried with it the kind of awe you'd expect from someone who'd ventured into the last remaining acre of wilderness and asked, "Is this really what the world used to be like?". This morning, I too delight in that nearly forgotten feeling of hope...

Two more friends called with buoyant delight at the election results. I haven't heard this much upbeat feedback in a long, long time.

Last night, my son and I watched and listened together as the election results and speeches of concession and acceptance unfolded. He said "I'm getting shivers". He was so excited, so profoundly affected by Obama's win. He knows implicitly and explicitly that he has witnessed an historic shift in America, in the world.

Can words even express the depth of my gratitude, that we could experience together, first hand, this momentous event. Having spent half his life under the rule of the monstrous war criminals that stole our country, our freedom, our dignity, my son now has the chance to experience what America is supposed to be. He has hope for what can be. To see hope in his eyes, to hear hope in his voice is so very deeply gratifying.

He asked me last night why I didn't seem to be excited and I had to explain. Yes, I'm grateful that it seems Obama has won. However, we've still got roughly 3 months before he's inaugurated and that much can still happen, blah blah blah......... assuming all goes well, the real challenges have only begun, blah blah blah..... ongoing malevolence is still developing in putrid, toxic bogs on the NeoContinent - you know, the location of Sarah Palin's mysterious "real america", blah blah blah....... But I restrained myself before going on and on . I know, you know, we all know how that dialogue goes.

And YES, I told him, this is a critical first step and we shared our wonder in that fact alone.

Then to my surprise, and despite all my concerns,


THIS MORNING - I awoke with just a little bit of ease seeping into my nervous system.

THIS MORNING - The light seems just a little gentler, a little brighter, a little warmer.

THIS MORNING - The cool autumn air smells just a little fresher, a little crisper, a little cleaner.

As my son and I readied for the day - for the first time in a long time -

THIS MORNING - I was able to share, Honest, Genuine, Heartfelt Optimism.

Damn it felt good to be able to do that - with him and for him. In recent years, opportunities for thinking people to share genuine optimism have been so rare. It was sweet revenge to reclaim that joy. The Beltway Beasts have stripped optimism, along with so many other joys, from so many people, for so long. Perhaps it's short-lived, but for today, I got that little bit of joy back. They can't take that away from me.

CAUTIOUS

I feel hope and simultaneously recognize my reluctance to use the names of people I reference in this writing. How bout' that? Conscious, patriotic, decent Americans have to be careful not to inadvertently expose friends and loved ones to the American Secret Police? The "ASP". I do still fear that viper. I do still recognize that we are under authoritarian rule. I do still acknowledge the vicious oppression that subjects us, worldwide, to the worst of humanity...... Cautiously Ecstatic... emphasis on "Cautiously"

ECSTATIC

Perhaps the 8 year nightmare really is over and we're waking up to a world that's going to be a better place for all human beings to live - a world where the values of compassion and decency dominate the human landscape. Perhaps in enough bedrooms, and kitchens, and cafes, people are going through their morning routines, with a very important shift of spirit. Perhaps the dignity of all people can be restored. Perhaps the feeling of hope is seeping, with all it's healing properties, into all of us.... Cautiously Ecstatic... emphasis on "Ecstatic"

The election of Barack Obama reflects a commitment by the American people. It sends a message to the world. The American People are not the demons who have represented us for the past 8 years. We have elected to the office of President, a man of moral vision, a man of insight, a man of courage, compassion and coincidentally, of color. A man who speaks for us. We've now offered to the world a representative example of who we really are. The unsuppressed voices of "we the people" as individuals and as a nation have finally been heard. I am so grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.

Hope and Fear.... I guess it's all in a days work......

TODAY I INTEND TO BASK IN THE WARM, REGENERATIVE ENERGY OF HOPE

And they can't take that away from me..........


For a simple, concise and entertaining report on how New Mexico voted, go to

newearthtimes.blogspot.com

p.s. The beer offer still stands.