Thirty Days of Thanksgiving - Day Twenty-three

Well, I try to avoid politics as a rule, beyond voting.  But today how can I avoid posting about witnessing a great moment in our country's history?  I dropped my ballot off at the library and got my "I voted" sticker.  (I do miss voting at polls, though the convenience of mail-in ballots is nice.)  I listened to the radio all day, and could hardly wait until 4pm when the polls in the eastern states closed, meaning the first results could start trickling in.  I listened all evening as I cooked dinner and washed dishes.  Then I watched the national tv channels to see the maps in person and watch Obama's victory speech.  I let Gabriel stay up late to see it, and tried to explain to him how historic this night is.  I told him that when he has kids in school, they'll read about this night in their history books.  He really couldn't comprehend what I was talking about, but it was good to open up discussions of the electoral college, the history and legacy of slavery, and the amazing ways our country has changed.  I hope we'll be able to talk more about these topics in the future, and that I will be up to the task of teaching him.  It's hard to explain these complex topics to a six-year old, I admit.  

For the first time in awhile I feel hopeful about the direction our country is headed.  I am thankful I live in a place where I get to vote and have the freedom to live the kind of life I want to live.  I haven't been this excited about an election in many years.  I think I'll go write in my journal now....