Election Night at The Mans

I felt it all day yesterday.

Change was in the air from the second my eyes popped open in the A.M. You could feel it, couldn't you? Everyone unified for the same goal and purpose. Would that we could all feel that sense of unity every day of our lives and continue reaching for it; to doing something proactive to work every day towards it. Peace. A better America. A better world.

I thought, "What can I do every day to get us closer to it?" and then reminded myself that it always begins in our own backyards and in the mirror. If we want a better country, we must become better people. If we want a peaceful nation, we must stop fighting with our our friends, our lover, our families and display patience, understanding, tolerance and diplomacy in our every day dealing.

This election is one of the things our children and grandchildren will come to us about. They'll be writing papers and want to know where we were the night Obama was elected into office. Who were we with? What were we doing? How did it feel?

Who were we with? Last night, I invited a few friends over to watch the poll results. Seth Adler, Kabbalah Nick and Josh Griffin helped make the evening so special as Andy, Tristan and I all busted open the champagne up in the pool house with Shannon.

What were we doing? Nick sat with me on the couch, riveted to every word and hushed people when they were talking over the speeches. Seth was chronicling the entire experience on Facebook via his laptop. Shannon was playing host, making sure everyone was take care of. Andy joked that LIVE backwards on the screen actually spelled EVIL and Tristan kept his party on, dancing to tunes in his own head. Josh was so well behaved for someone who is a devout Republican -- he only made a few jabs and jokes here and there. I appreciated the diversity of him being there and his willingness to still share in the victory with us.

How did it feel? I felt humbled. I felt like it was all so much bigger than me and yet I had something to do with it -- like a tiny rock falling from the mountain but still being made of the same particles as the mountain, like we are to God. I felt inspired. I felt hope. I felt confident that the rest of the world will see none of what has happened was what we wanted. I felt proud of the land that our house was sitting on and felt it moving beneath me, celebrating in its own way.

And I wondered if we could make the moment last.


"'What do you plan to do with all your freedom?' the new Sheriff said, quite proud of his badge. 'We'll weave them through every rockets red glare and huddled masses. You just lift your lamp.'" - Tori Amos, "Scarlet's Walk"