Hope

I had my first election at the polls experience.  Now this isn't entirely truthful because I do remember the 1992 election, accompanying my parents, but naturally I was not allowed to vote.  

So I got up at 5:30 AM, with my roommate Marnie, down to the Brooklyn Museum and got in line.  We waited for a little over an hour.  It was a little disorganized but I pointed out to her that an hour wait makes us far better off than other democracies.  I walked into the booth and cast my vote on a pretty old-school polling machine.  

After we left, there was something in the air.  Believe it or not, it was hope.  Later in the day I walked to the print shop to help my new quasi-client/ employer Eddie make some business cards. We encountered so many people along the way who were grinning, saying hello, and again there was something in the air, hope.  

I saw people getting pictures of Obama framed, everyone talking about the election, people arguing that even if you weren't voting for Obama to get out and vote because this is democracy and the times are too hard.  It was something remarkably refreshing.  I walked to the grocery store later in the day and again it was all smiles, polite gestures, and an overwhelming feeling of something better coming, hope.  

Finally, I was sitting on the couch today with my other roommate Yael, a foreign national, unable to vote.  She had expressed little interest in politics but today she was curious.  She said to me, "is it true that Obama's grandmother died today?"  I said yes and that he had gotten some negative commentary for visiting her a week ago, flying to Hawaii instead of campaigning. She said, I saw him talk today and I really like him.  He has the kind of character I think would be good in a President.  I hope he is doing ok with the loss.  

It was amazing.  Someone not the slightest bit interested in politics senses something in the air. Despite the criticism and even the audacity of it all- hope is real and if you doubt it, go look at the people who have had it the roughest the last 8 years.  We all have had our fair share of pain. But fear not, hope is around the corner.  We have the opportunity now let's get to work.