Optimism Pause

Photo credit: Larry Downing / Reuters http://nbcnews.to/WCV7Jx

It was all things Obama, all day long, and the fact that it was Martin Luther King Day made it all the more poignant. On a frigid January day, America seem to suspend cynicism and come together over the inauguration of their President. Hundreds of thousands crowded the mall to be a part of history and millions more watched on TV.  The Obama family with playful wide smiles and expressed love beamed a shining example of the family ideal, and the President and the First Lady showed what a partnership based on love and mutual respect looks like.

Optimism is alive and well in America - and here too, in my heart. All things are possible - with the will of the people. When the people decide that discrimination and violence has to end -- it will. When the people decide that there is no room for poverty in a country of excess - it will end. Change will start with the people deciding what kind of society they want to build, and then demanding it. Love has to grow bigger than the hatred and fear. And so until that day comes, today was a pleasant pause of optimism.

"Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."  - Martin Luther King Jr.

Democracy in Action

How is it that four years have passed since that historical victory for hope -- Barak Obama? And even though I am Canadian; even though I watched him fall short of expectation as he faced obstacles of mammoth proportion; I find myself once again on my couch perched in front of my television as I watch  election returns dance across the screen, my chest tightening with every result as if I carried an American passport.

Democracy in America is not easy it would seem with some states reporting endless lineups and erroneous voting machinery. We can put a man on the moon and beam signals to remote regions of the planet but somehow, we  can't make voting easy. Shame on the powers that be for making voting an act of heroism and endurance. My heart goes out to those who are trying earnestly to exercise their democratic right to vote for the leader of their country.

As for me - I am hoping that the President will have the gift of a second term to finish what he started, without the cloud of re-election hovering.
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Couldn't go to sleep without finding out the outcome of the election, and thankfully, I will slumber peacefully, content in the knowledge that Obama has a second chance.

During this - Veteran's Week - we are reminded that the sacrifices were high to preserve our democracy. And for that, I am grateful.

Debate Diet

I'm a little bit of a political junkie, getting my fix watching the Romney - Obama debate; sucking up every nuance, gesture, eye-roll, dodge, retort, snicker and snort.

And as much as I love a contentious, political debate, I long for transparency and solid journalism. Why is it so difficult for our politicians to simply state their policies and positions? They should be able to articulate their stances on issues near and dear to their hearts and stand by their convictions. Why the need to contort and morph to suit every situation? The rhetoric is disappointing and exhausting. It deflates trust and fuels cynicism.

Perhaps our omnipresent social media, camera phones, and tradition media has made "movie star" a requirement of the job. Today we want our politicians photogenic, slick, politically correct and generally flawless. Authenticity can be generally unattractive and unwelcomed -- to the masses, but not me.

I like the facts delivered straight up with little flourish - like raw vegetables; there for the taking and dicing and slicing as you see fit. Sadly we are force fed soft factoids along with what we are supposed to think about them - a fatty diet of slop.

That being said, I still sat on the edge of my couch riveted to the TV and the twitter feed on my laptop, as the debate unfolded. And within minutes of it ending, my phone rang and it was my Pops calling from Florida to ask how I thought the debate went. Maybe that was the best part!

Free to Be

Here is why I love Obama ... if for no other reason than that his words lift us up, inspire and challenge humankind while offering a promise of hope for a kinder, more accepting, welcoming, inclusive society. The clip below is of a speech he delivered to a Gay Rights Group [Human Rights Campaign] October 10th.

By the middle of the address I could feel the tears. I could only think of the children and adults alike who are trapped by their secrets and their fear of rejection and ridicule, sadly, often by those who should love them most. How inspiring it must be for them to hear the President of  the United States passionately appealing to his people to create a society that is more just and inclusive. Hope is rekindled and the fires of equality are fanned.

People must be free to be themselves and live and love authentically. It seems archaic that in this day in age, in North America,  people must still struggle for the most basic of equal rights -- including the right to marry. I am an eternal optimist, and I believe that there will come a day soon, when the shackles of bigotry will be broken and all shall be free - to be.



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I've Got A Feeling

Hope is afloat - and Obama's address to the joint session of Congress last night proved it. He did his job brilliantly - he inspired. He reminded Americans that the issue at hand - affordable health care for everyone - is one of morality, character, and social justice. I loved that. My optimism is burning brightly.

Maybe it's the eleven consecutive days of warm sunshine but I am walking two feet off the ground. New starts. New goals. Big dreams. Big 360 love. Clear skies -- in more ways than one. Everything seems possible.

And I have a feeling -- that it is!

History Made - At Last ...

What a day! What a historic day!

Butterflies in my tummy when I awoke this morning. And in the wee hours as I got ready for work I was ticked that I hadn't had the foresight to book a vacation day today so that I could stay home glued to my set. Instead I was glued to CNN's and CBC's live coverage. Don't get me wrong - I squeezed in a bit of work too!

Today is one more, step on the steep stairway leading to change.

As you can imagine talk of the inauguration dominated our office, and my fellow Obama fans and I couldn’t help but answer the call of the swearing in ceremony. The streaming video didn't work out so well so my frustrated colleague who lives close by tore out of the office to watch the rest of the ceremony on a reliable TV. She called out an invitation to all as she departed ...

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What we started at our desks - we finished in a boardroom - all five of us (our boss-lady included) sat fixated at the images and words that rolled out before us. Misty eyes and a solemn sense that we were sharing a moment bigger than all of us ...

What a day! What a historic day! I have no more tears to shed. My heart is filled with gratitude that in my lifetime I bear witness to this momentous day ... the day that the impossible became possible; and the day that the world rejoiced in the knowledge that as one - we can prevail.

Image from screen shot of CNN coverage

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -
why men and women and children of every
race and every faith can join in celebration
across this magnificent mall, and why a man
whose father less than 60 years
ago might not have been served
at a local restaurant can now stand before
you to take a most sacred oath."
- President Barack Obama

There were times when I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come,
oh yes it will.
- Sam Cooke

Tears for Cheers - Obama

My personal Obama-rama continues. Yesterday I watched the We Are One concert shown on HBO. I taped it for Kidlet and ended up watching it again with her last night. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that for the entire show my emotions randomly ranged between lump-in-my-throat to teary-eyed to ugly-uncontrolled crying. I was profoundly moved. This whole Obama thing has mysteriously connected with me on a very deep level. I couldn't help but notice that each and every performer wore huge wide smiles and unrestrained and utter joy.

Tear-inspiring moments

• The shining faces of the mosaic youth choir grooving and moving to the music;


• Bruce Springsteen opening the show with The Rising - backed by a choir of cathedral proportions;


• Hearing Bettye Lavette's mournful A Change Is Gonna Come (it's been a long time coming) duet with Jon Bon Jovi (powerful lyrics being sung by a woman who lived them);


• Heather Headley singing My Country on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the same spot a black woman sang it in 1933 for the Roosevelts AFTER being denied entry to an event because she was black. Heather Headley's misty eyes and expression showed she got the momentous nature of it all;


• The sheer magnitude of the crowds, the occasion, and the visible hopes invisibly tattooed on the faces of each person in the crowd;



• Pete Seeger the living legend singing This Land Is Your Land and seeing a dream of his come to fruition.
  

My heart is full to overflowing. We need this - humankind needs this collective uplifting. What we do with this injection of hope and call to action is up to each one of us. The images, words and music that has clogged the airways and the networks has me recalling black and white images from the sixties that weren't so positive. Images from the news of assassinations, violence, riots and funerals, have stayed with me even though I witnessed them as a small child. It has me thinking about the pain, anguish and humiliation endured by people through the ages and of the times I have felt ashamed to be white.

In my lifetime I can only recall a few rare moments in history in which the world has shared a collective emotion, or cause - i.e. assassinations of great people such as Gandhi, Kennedy, Martin Luther King and even the death of Lady Diana. The Boxing Day tsunami and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall are two other notables for me. I am certain that I will remember the election and inauguration of Barack Obama as one of those rare flickers in time that optimism and hope was stirred in the hearts of the world -- at least in mine.

Once what were shed as tears for fears are now tears of cheers and renewed faith - in Obama -and in humankind.

P.S. To be continued ...

Beacon of Hope

Well - following the election drought, we are finally getting our Obama fix once again. I can't remember such anticipation and feeling of hope and optimism surrounding a political (or any) event. The excitement is quickly building to fever pitch ... and we are holding our collective breath to see how it will culminate and where it will lead. Are we setting our expectations so high that neither the inauguration nor the presidency could possibly meet them?

I think not! Humankind is thirsty for optimism and hope; for a reason to go on; a reason to dream. We are ready to believe that the impossible is possible; that the monumental challenges and problems facing our humanity and planet can be solved by our collective knowledge, creativity, energy and desires. That the broken can be repaired or reinvented. The common denominator here is the concept of the “collective”. Barack Obama’s speeches and addresses are riddled with references to “we”, “us”, “everyone” and “all”. He is inclusive. He is a beacon of hope for the disenfranchised, the outsiders and the sideliners. He is a symbol of the best of humanity – diverse, dignified, exemplary, intelligent, imperfect, grounded … I could go on forever.

A leader is someone people want to follow. Let’s face it – there is a presidential machine that can conduct the business of the president. But I have always felt the importance of a leader – a president or prime minister – is their ability to have and communicate a vision that unifies; who inspires others and moves society to create a better version of itself. A leader must light the fire in hearts and mobilize nations.

This morning I sit anchored to my TV watching Obama board the train to his future. If you asked me why tears flowed down my cheek, I couldn’t answer. All I know is that my heart is full, my emotions are running high to overflowing, and that my faith in humankind is renewed. I am hopeful. I believe. And this shiny new leader is a beacon of hope to me and many.

The Morning After ... the Morning After

The reality and enormity of the election results is still sinking in. Funny -- on election day I spent the five hours culminating with Obama's anointment, watching the milky images on my TV through teary eyes, burning through an entire box of tissues. I was sure I was depleted of all salt and moisture. Wrong!

I spent the following day recounting memorable moments with my colleagues and then of course, my father. After work I fell back into my pre-election ritual of surfing between CNN and other news channels to absorb even more commentary on the results. Snippets of Obama's speeches as the soundtrack for slow motion images moved me to tears yet again. Images of black tear stained faces in the Chicago crowd, and video of a jubilant world ... choke hold and more tears.

A day later, I continue to be mesmerized by what is unfolding and I confess I am a little envious. I long for Canada to have a leader who inspires, who empathizes and who articulates a vision - a way forward. Stephen Lewis is that for me. Justin Trudeau may be ... in time. Until then, I am going to peek over the fence into our neighbour's yard and enjoy the festivities, and the view.

History in the Making

Tonight is the culmination of almost 2 years of U.S. presidential election campaigning and coverage. Being Canadian, there are those close to me who are more than a little baffled by my keen interest (borderline obsession) in the political gymnastics south of our border.

I admit that I am completely engaged in this presidential election - and in Barack Obama. From the first time I heard him speak at the 2004 Democratic convention, Obama captured my attention and my imagination. With every speech delivered, he has resurrected hope for a more peaceful, inclusive America. He has stirred hope and inspired optimism in ourselves and in our fellow man. He reminds us about the best parts of humankind and the power and strength in unity. What is a leader if not one who inspires and moves another to action?

Tonight I sit in front of our large TV screen, hanging off every morsel of coverage and results. And I confess that, like a good book that I don't want to finish, I want to savour every second of this momentous occasion.

Tonight is history making. I want to remember it well so that in future years to come I can tell my grandchildren how I felt and what I was doing the day the Americans elected a black president; the day that proved anything is possible and dreams do come true.

Now, back to Barack.

Best Seats in the House for Obama Drama

Can you feel it mounting ... the excitement leading up the to US election? It's hard to put your finger on it, but you can just feel the winds of change blowing over the country -- and not just in America. I think Canadians are enjoying a view not unlike that from a theatre box -perched nicely up high to the left, unnoticed by most, but with a bird's eye view of the scene being played out below. We applaud when we are moved and sigh in disappointment when we are not. Regardless - we are captive voyeurs of the drama and potentially history-making politics being played out south of our borders.

I can't speak for all Canadians, however I can say that I can't remember being this engaged and opinionated (impassioned) by a political event since the Referendum. In Obama I see the embracing of the new America - one that is not pasty white with membership in the ruling class. He is youthful, invigorated and optimistic. Even more important is his ability to stir emotion, and extract that desire in us to want and do more. To step up.

Gosh - I wish I could vote for Obama. But then again - that would mean I was American. I think I like the view from my box seat just fine after all.