The world yelped with glee, then breathed a collective celebratory sigh of relief. Barack won, McCain gave a wonderfully statesman-like concession speech and for the first time in most folks memory, we are newly invigorated with hope and the promise that change is coming.
So often our hopes and dreams have not come true. For the past eight years, not only have they not come true, they have been stomped upon and crushed against the concrete like a dirty, spent-to-the-filter cigarette butt.
We must not be naive about the prospects for meaningful change. As Barack said, our path is long and the road will be steep. But last night, as the champagne corks flew, hope took new life.
When I told my parents that this was the most important election of my life, they said it was the most important election of their lives too, and they are in their eighties, old enough to remember The Great Depression well. Old enough to have fought, and for my dad to witness death over the skies of Germany, in World War Two.
Obama's story, his message and his charisma resonated with people of all ages and backgrounds (ok, not ALL, looking at the list of red states it's obvious which parts of our country can't shed their blinders) igniting a worldwide celebration. Let us savor the moment, recognize that occasionally our greatest hopes are realized and be prepared to do our part because, as Barack says so eloquently, progress and change cannot be achieved without sacrifice.
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