Brand New Day

First and foremost, I am so excited so many voted on Tuesday. What a remarkable thing voting is. You speak with your choice. You may not always be on the winning side but you spoke up and that is to be commended.

Then there is the fact that we elected - collectively - whether you cast your vote for him or not, we elected the first black president of the United States. What a feat. The barriers of color have been broken - whether you believe the barriers exist or not. In my lifetime and my son's lifetime we have accomplished a historic feat. Add to that the fact that nearly 50% of the voting public voted to elect this nations' first republican, female VP candidate. Historic I tell you.

Now, you probably expected me to rant - throw in some expletives. I'll admit, the prospect of a socialist governmental figurehead made me throw up a little in my mouth. But after my wallowing swallow, I came to the conclusion that I can be sore and annoyed and put out over the next four years or I can do something to change it all.

This is a call to arms, so to speak. Not to rise up against Obama - but to educate your friends and neighbors. Teach them to want to think independently, outside the box. Teach them to want to be independent - work toward a goal - a reward. You can pity yourself and vex and vent about the loss or you can work toward creating a better tomorrow. A brand new day.

There is always a bright side - work to achieve it. I will. I will tell whoever will listen that now is not the time to cry in your beer. Be heard. Abandon the rhetoric, the party lines. Speak up, be heard. Point out the facts, or where to find them. Abandon the invective and provide incentive. If you want a change in the next four years you need to work to achieve it. Do not repeat the mistakes of the past. We are better than that. We are all better than that.

I choose to be the kind of American who - when hit with adversity . . . trusts my gut that I will prevail in the end. I won't help you make this new President's life difficult. I won't abide by you stating that he isn't your President. Have respect for the office. Have respect for the choice. Make a conscious effort to change it if you don't agree. Leave the disrespect at the door. It's a brand new day.