I got a call from a friend this week who was in London a couple of days after our election. When people found out he was from the U.S., they cautiously asked, “What did you think about the election?” When he told them he was ecstatic about the outcome, their reserve turned to enthusiasm for Obama in particular and the States in general. He was surrounded by goodwill and optimism during his entire visit, and he said it felt wonderful.
Contrast that to an early post-election article I recently read by a British columnist who thinks Obama’s election means we have now begun our relentless slide into decay and our eventual demise. Apparently the mixture of hope and skepticism are not confined to our side of the Atlantic.
Timmy noted in a post the other day something that I’ve noticed, too: His errand-running and such have presented to him a public that is hurting financially and unsure what’s next, yet they’re smiling, shopping (maybe for bargains or with a more practical eye), and talking to one another with an attitude of “We’ll be fine. We’ll figure it out.” That’s what some people call our arrogance, and maybe it is. But it’s also the determination, strength, and sheer refusal to be not fine that we’ve brought with us from many other shores and lands and drawn on for several hundred years. It’s not surprising when we bicker and separate and distrust, because we bring our differences from everywhere and always have.
But we also get together. We get together in our stores and our churches and our workplaces. We get together in our schools and our election polls and our restaurants. We get together in our bars and our sporting arenas and our museums. And in person, we very rarely talk to each other the way anonymous people insult each other in comments to any article or story on the Internet (and I highly advise not reading those, or you’ll lose all faith in humanity’s decency and literacy). Oh, you can see us on youtube and in the news behaving very badly, but there’s no excitement in watching people behave well, so that perspective is skewed.
I know many of the differences between me and the people I spent my day with yesterday, and I also know those differences don’t matter. I don’t think there was a person in the house who hasn’t reached out in kindness to help others and who wouldn’t do it again. Our views on politics and religion and government and some of the big hot-button issues are widely divergent. And most of us have been hurt by the economy in our jobs and our savings. We have things to worry about…and so what? There will always be things to worry about.
There will also be days like this:
A table overflowing because we all contributed the turkey and stuffing, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls, cakes, pies, and sweetened and unsweetened ice tea.
But if all any of us had to bring was bread and water, we’d still be there laughing and reminiscing and brushing away the occasional tear for the ones who won’t be there again. And if we sometimes disagree on the best course for the future, at least we all know what we’re working toward:
All the trusting faces and beautiful eyes, and the soft little feet that will wear the coolest shoes as they learn to walk through a world that we’re determined to make better for them.
I hope your Thanksgiving had good moments like that, too.
Unsweetened tea?!?!
One of the insignificant differences at the table that night is Becky (a true Southern Belle) married a Yankee who doesn’t like sweet tea.
Mr. Becky
And Lynne (another true Southern Belle) always serves unsweetened tea for me.
My best friend is of the same persuasion. LOL He thinks Southern sweet tea is basically syrup. I can’t imagine it any other way.
Yay for unsweetened tea! You may as well just drink glucose from a bag.
Love transcends all differences.
Love is kind
Love is never fails
Love is a best friend for “thirty-five” years…
Dang that Lila is CUTE!
Lila is the best.
What a pretty table. (And what a cutie patootie!)
She’s a doll. And Lynne does set a mean table. I keep trying to figure out a reason to break out the good china. Maybe there shouldn’t BE a reason. I could do it for pizza.
Everything looks delicious, Becky! My older brother decided to go “metrosexual” this year and make his own cranberry sauce and homemade sweet potatoes with crumb topping. (He also cut his longish hair and looks a lot better too1, Gary!)
Thanks, Chris. =)
Wait, there’s a new word that supplanted “metrosexual,” but I’ve forgotten it right now. Dammit. [thinking, thinking]
Ubersexual!
Then there’s pomosexual. It’s all getting very complicated. But as long as it means better grooming and table manners, I’m all for it. 😉
I don’t ever recall seeing him with longish hair. But as you well know, I don’t really have a problem with long hair…if it is nice and clean.
good start to the shoe life, lila. 😉
I knew that many on my friends’ list would approve.
Obama
I’ve heard that since Obama is seen as the first global president, he is part of the end. I don’t know Revelations that well, but someone told me that we are getting closer to THE END as we get more and more global. :-/ Beats me. I don’t understand it.
With cute little faces like that how can we not realize life will be great and is great. 😀
Ellen
“When he told them he was ecstatic about the outcome, their reserve turned to enthusiasm for Obama in particular and the States in general. He was surrounded by goodwill and optimism during his entire visit, and he said it felt wonderful.”
Mmm, optimism and enthusiasm is definitely what we feel – it truly was the best outcome of an election ever! Your country and its relationship with the ‘rest of the world’ simply couldn’t go on as it was, and I think more people thatn we know realised that and voted with their conscience.
A very cool kid indeed – those luminous eyes just draw you in!
Glad you had such a lovely, heartwarming day of thanksgiving.