America...yes we did!

It's been over a week since my last post and within that time frame America has changed and succeeded in an amazing feat that i certainly never thought attainable in this country. America elected its Obama as the next president. This amazing feat has been made so real as a result of the American people joining together in strength, numbers and hope to accomplish a task that has never seemed possible until recently.

To me, America has seemingly overcome a massive prejudice that has dictated and governed American rules and regulations for decades. To elect a president of color is a mighty feat that i am truly grateful for, and find it overwhelming to be a contributor of such an act.

To be honest, I am actually a bit patriotic about the entire process, and to admit that is not normal for me. I have never been one to wave flags, take my hat off during the national anthem, or give praise to this country. I have been one to cheer for freedom of speech, seek information by way of press and report it, dabble with various religious beliefs, and praise the idea of a free society. Yet, the pride i feel now is different. It's deeper, genuine. Something took place to me this last tuesday the 4th, and not only did it seem to take place just to me.

I happened to watch the election process unfold with about 10,000 other people in the PDX Convention Center, shoulder to shoulder, grin to grin, tears to tears, roars to roars, and an overwhelming joy the tremored from wall to wall within the giant ballroom where we all faced forward to watch the mega screens display state by state polls, and soon enough display Obama's election speech live from Chicago.

Within this commraderie, i managed to latch onto some sort of unique, unbiased patriotism that i have not felt before. To witness such a major change demonstrated by millions of Americans, young and old, to be apart of such a historical moment in time, resonated through me while i stood there facing the screen with so many others.
A feeling of true gratitude for America crept up my spine and peered through my eyes.

I felt overwhelmed with a joy and a re-installation of hope for the country that i once honestly hated with spite (many of you know this). To witness Obama give his speech was like witnessing a ray of hope and change within the American people. Not only did Obama pass on hope, but each person seemed to pass on hope to each other. In unity we achieved the impossible, as a country we achieved what nobody believed could be achieved. We passed hope along the highways of America and reached up with our arms saying "yes we can". We the people did it!

The idea that i'm actually happy to be an American is one that i've fled from for years in anger and bitterness. Today i look to America with optimism, even though there is so much to be done, i still look forward with optimism instead of cynicism. A true change of thinking has taken place in the minds of so many Americans, and with that comes a road full of many obstacles, but a road paved with strength and faith, a road that enables millions to come together side by side to take their country back and re-instill values that have been lost for too long. I see hope in the eyes of many people now, and that's a genuine theme that seems to be clearly emerging day after day. My eyes are open and i feel authentically blessed to live in America for once in my life.