Obama-Mania

I wandered into the lunch room at work this morning just before nine and found nearly eighty people already there, watching tv - riveted to the thing in fact. It was a good speech; stirring; eloquent in a way we haven't heard in - let's see....eight years. I can hardly believe the drought is finally over !!

Clearly I'm not the only one relieved given the reports of something like two million people crowded into (or attemping at least) the Mall to be a part of it all. Not that you'd actually be able to see anything, or hear anything - it's all about connecting with the energy that must emanate from that many humans all thinking something like the same thing at the same time. That's pretty powerful! As for me, given my disinclination to surround myself with crowds, the relatively small group at work was more than sufficient. I must tell you, though, after the President finished his speech, the room broke into spontaneous applause. Like I said, I'm clearly not the only one breathing a sigh of relief.

It's tough to shed the cloak of skepticism that I've packed around for so many years. Not that I don't want to - I do - it's just so very hard after all the things I've seen. But if there were ever a time in my life to have some hope that maybe at last we've reached some new plateau, this must be it. I'll do my best to join in the direction that helps to lead us out of this mess. After all, any thing else - as Denny Crane would say - would be bad for the troops!

I think one of the absolute high points today came from Rev. Joseph Lowery when he delivered the benediction. As he put it -

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

Rock on Obama-Rama. I say "Amen".

Denny