election day

as barack obama gives his acceptance speech on the television, i think about what a big day today was in america. it was election day. americans walked around with their free starbucks, krispy kreme and ben and jerry's because they exercised their "right" as an american, to lay their vote down for the person they chose as their next president. at this moment, a lot of thoughts flood my mind.

i thought about 3 of my closest friends that have not been a part of this election chaos or didn't see "i voted stickers" on those they passed throughout the day.  two of them are in different countries right now, and one is finishing up his 5 month hike on the Appalachian trail.  as i think about them, and where they are right now, not surrounded by the busyness and propaganda that is election day, i am reminded of being in australia while our country was at war in 2003.  i have memories of sitting in a room alone, glued to the tv, waiting to hear president bush tell me what was happening with my country.  knowing that at home everyone's life was encompassed by this war, and here in australia, i was sitting in a room alone.  i have never been so aware that the world did not, and does not revolve around america.  the people around me on the other side of the world went about their lives as normal as i wondered how this would affect my life.  i am reminded that as huge as this election day is for us, even as much of a landmark in our nation's history it is, that the world doesn't revolve around America, nor does it even stop for our big day.  WE elected a new president, WE are looking at what the future holds for our country, WE are all stopped in this moment as our future and our lives are being affected, as we are changing ... "the world spins madly on."

i'm also overwhelmed at what a blessing we have been given, with the ability to walk into a room, and freely vote for the person that we want to run our country.  so many people fought with their lives for this right.  and i didn't, with a second thought, even think, as a woman, about the women  before me that fought with their lives, or were arrested and jailed to have the right to walk in and do what i was annoyed to wait in a line for.  i have no idea.  i don't get it.  i don't get what a gift this is.  i never will.  but i thank every person that fought with their life, to give me the "right" to walk into a room and vote for the next President of the United States.  

regardless of political parties, this day is a historic one.  as i am reflecting on the right to vote that i have as a woman, we have just elected as our next president, a man that 200 years ago would not have even had the right to vote himself because of his race.  we have come a long way as a country, and political parties aside, we need to celebrate that, as we also reflect on the truth that many people gave their lives for each of us to exercise a  right which now, we are simply born into.

somehow, a sticker i stuck on my forehead after i did my "civil duty" now carries the weight and fight of men and women's lives and American's gone before me.

                                                                                       

so today, i am proud to be an American, and grateful to all of those that fought for me to have this right, that i will never fully understand.