Election Day

I got up at 5:00 a.m. this morning, due to jet lag, but also because I thought there might be a chance Nathan would call from New Zealand before he left on his kayak trip. (Sadly, no.)

So! I have been following the CNN election coverage all day since 5:00 a.m. Staying close to the TV was good for me today, as I am coming down with a wicked head cold.
By now, we are in the wee hours of the morning on the East coast, Barack Obama has given his speech, and Americans all over the country are taking to the streets and partying into the night. I was struck by the hope, tears and euphoria I saw in the eyes of the crowd assembled to hear Obama speak in Grant Park in Chicago. As I write this, people are gathering in the streets of Washington D.C.and around the world to collectively express their joy over this election. When was the last time people took to the streets like this?? I can't remember it. People are hungry for hope.

The most lovely thing I saw during my personal TV marathon was the mingling of the Obama and Biden families- black and white, young and old- on the stage after the address. I hope it signals a wonderful new era, a fresh new breeze. There is a global eye on our President Elect, and I wonder if he realizes the magnitude of the hopes and expectations the entire world has for him. There is something amazing and powerful happening at home, and I am a little sad I am not there to share in the excitement. Party on!