Monumental Day in History

I had class this evening from 6:40 until about 8:20pm. However my cube mate and I hunkered down between our research hours and our evening classes and watched election coverage via the BBC. Before class was let out early, the texts and calls were coming in to let us know that Obama had taken the election. What a night in our nation's history! What a night for those of us that live in the United States. And what a night for the world.

I just finished viewing Obama's acceptance speech for the second time this evening. And I am proud to say that our President elect is one eloquent individual. And for the first time in a long time, I feel hope for our nation. I feel hope for the world. I feel hope.

My first of three phone calls tonight went to my brother who updated me on the polls and on the local races. My second phone call went to my grandmother, as four years ago she and I spent this evening together and watched in stunned silence as the nation was overcome in red. Both of us were overjoyed tonight and any tears this time around were ones of happiness and not of sorrow. My final phone call this evening was to my father-who reminded me of how honorable both men are who ran for office and just how incredible this change is especially for the young in America.

In watching McCain's speech this evening, I was proud of the man who quieted booing crowds at the mention of Obama's name and who encouraged all individuals in this nation to come together to truly change the tide of what the United States has become. This theme was evident in Obama's own speech as he called for the coming together of the nation--to repair the incredible division that exists among individuals within this country, to re-establish the care that we must feel toward one another and toward our nation. Obama's success could in fact be due to his experience as a community organizer, as no other race has been built upon the techniques which he utilized and which served him so well.

It has not escaped me just how divided this nation truly has become. These divisions exist within my family and between myself and some of my longest standing friends. Yet I can't help but hope that we, as a society, truly can look beyond the differences and see how similar all of us in this world truly are-that when it comes down to it we all have the same needs and often the same desires. That more than anything else we should be extending our hand to our fellow countrymen and to the world.

Yet again, what a monumental night in this nation's history and for the first time in a long time....I am proud to be an American.