God sometimes gives us unexpected gifts. Our gift has been a grandson who enlivens our lives and makes retirement very different than the one we anticipated. He is a special joy. And that's "Casey." In 2006 we fulfilled our dream of living in Italy for a year. It was every bit as wonderful as anticipated. This blog begins in 2005 as we prepared for that experience. Since then we have explored many places together. That's the "Travel." And finally, I am a person of opinions--spiritually, politically, on just about anything and that's the "Other Stuff." Welcome to my blog.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Coming of Age

Does it all still seem improbable? Yes, for me it does. Some things seem so long in the coming and then when they happen it is as a blink.

Our nation has come of age. It is not that we elected a black person as our leader--which we did. It is that, as a people, we chose who should lead our country and the world through this monumentally perilous time and that choice was not based or negated on skin color. Who would have thought that so many people were ready to overcome our convoluted history and move forward to new vistas?

On election night, I heard two things which lifted spirits and spoke to the quality of the men who competed to lead the Nation.

One came from the defeated one-the honorable warrior, John McCain when he said:

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

The power in the last two words is awesome as it speaks to the foundational belief of the United States. The humility in it teaches us all.

The other came from the victorious one--the new visionary Barack Obama when he said:

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

The burden for conciliation placed on himself in these words reaches to all people. Great humility is found in the donning of personal responsibility.

November 4, 2008, we, citizens of the United States of America, witnessed examples of what each of us can strive to be and what makes our Nation great among Nations.





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On another note--a more practical one: If you are wanting to attend the inauguration, there are many sites selling tickets for upwards of $2000. The following link will take you to the Congressional Inaugural Committee which clarifies how to get tickets and makes it abundantly clear that sites attempting to sell tickets are not for real. My hunch is that they are scalpers who will eventually buy tickets from people who get them as described in the link and then resell.

Congressional Inaugural Committee This committee is headed by Senator Diane Feinstein.

This is a quote from that site: "Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth," said Howard Gantman, Staff Director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. "Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I look forward to the day when skin color is transparent. Every time I have read or heard 'black candidate' I have flinched. Obama is no more black than I am or you, or anyone in the world. His shows more than ours is all. Anyone who wishes to refute that must tell me where, from what planet, came the humans that do not partake of our common genetic heritage.

Jane said...

Judith, I don't agree that day must come as color is a perception of the eye. Our eyes see color. I used to tell my children, who are of different colors and shades, and those that I taught over the years, that yes, we are different colors and that is how God made us--just as we have red, yellow,white roses and perceive their difference and see beauty in all of them, so too with people. Color blindness does not need to exist nor should it nor will it. Value does not come from sameness.

chiaro di luna said...

Jane,
Congratulations to Obama! Glad he won.
Glad the election is over.
I will watch on tv...Jan. 20th.
How did you get tickets?
Good luck to Casey with his letter to Obama...I certainly hope he gets a response. Lucky boy to be going to Washington, D.C.!
chiaro

Jane said...

Hi, Chiaro, Yes, it is nice to have the elections over--particularly because we are so happy with the results. We have our plane tickets and hotel reservations but not tickets to the ceremony yet. You need to send a request to your senators or congressman and then in December the inaugural committee lets you know if you will receive them. I am really hoping for Casey's sake that we are among the lucky ones.

chiaro di luna said...

Jane, even if you don't get the tickets, there will be the excitement of a parade and other events going on, won't there?
I must go read about it.
I just made a comment on Casey's blog. Great letter he wrote to Obama. I certainly hope he gets a response and recognition that it was received.
Good luck! Can't wait to read about this piece of history in your blogs.
chiaro