Hope Won!

For the people who know me, they were surprised when one day had passed and I hadn’t written about the U.S. Presidential Election and the fact that Barack Obama had won!  There were several reasons why.  Most importantly, in the early hours of Tuesday, November 4th, my good friend Al Best lost his battle with cancer.  I was numb.  By Wednesday, one of my co-workers commented that she was shocked I hadn’t mentioned Barack Obama’s name in two days.  That numbnes again.  I couldn’t think straight, let alone sit down at a keyboard and write something that made sense, let alone celebrate the man who I had rallied behind for 20 months.

I picked the title of my blog from the t-shirt Oprah Winfrey was wearing the day after the election.  And I thought “that’s it”!  Hope Won!  I am neither American  or African-American, but I too felt Hope had won.  This impressive young Senator from Illinois represented Hope from not only Americans, but people throughout the world!   He represented change from the ‘crooked’ perception we had of government.  And not only the American government but governments throughout the world.  He represented something different than the ‘same old, same old’!   And we were all cheering for him, because if the United States could bring forward this kind of change, maybe the countries we live in could do the same.  We too, are sick and tired of the ‘same old, same old’!

My good friend Gary Kelly, another Canadian, was fortunate enough to be in California on November 4th, and sat in a bar Election night.  There were people disappointed and people elated, but what a priviledge to be there to witness it all. 

And in my closing comments, I would like to say to the world, ‘be patient’.  This man has quite a mess to clean up.  It’s not going to be done in one month, and not in one year.   Confidence in the United States is already on the increase, and after January 20th it will be full force.  But remember Barack Obama is only human, and as smart and personable that he is, it will take some time to clean up the garbage.  After Bill Clinton left office, the economy in the United states was very vibrant.  In 8 short years, it’s in the toilet.  Be patient.  It will be done.

Congratulations Mr. President!