In a few hours, Barack Obama will give his acceptance speech, securing the Democratic nomination and becoming the first African American to represent any major party for President.
I missed the emotional roll call yesterday, but I did see the aftermath - veteran civil rights leaders in tears, longtime party members with reddened eyes and it brought home to me just how impossible some people thought this moment would be.
I never thought it was impossible. I'd say it was a generational thing, but little over a year ago, before Barack's prominence, many people my age didn't think it was possible either. "We'll never see a black president in our lifetime," they'd say. It was such a self defeating belief, so entrenched in fears stoked by our nation's past, that it was sad to see the pessimism so alive in people so young, the very people who would determine the shape of our tomorrows.
There's a fear to hope. A fear of the mountains to climb and mental blocks to slay. A fear of the disappointment, the racism. But without vision, the people perish. Without hope our future looks like yesteryear.
Obviously, I want Barack to be president. It will be interesting to see what impact his race has on people's belief in their own possibilities and limitations. Many still probably can't quite wrap their brain around what it means. What does it say about our nation? Our neighborhoods? Our lives?
For starters, I can say that any strife I've experience doesn't compare to the ridiculousness he's had to deal with recently. His patience and ability to rise above the mess is mind blowing. He was never anchored by the hater machine, which in some cases came from the people he least expected.
And obviously, cable news doesn't ruffle his feathers, either.
Barack is the ultimate modern day example of focus, inspiration and grace.
He's also an example of a leader who operates in integrity. I don't know why some wannabe
leaders believe conniving, backstabbing, duplicitous behavior well intentioned or otherwise
is the way to achieve. While it may seem effective in the short run, it always ends in their own unravelling.
In my own daily squabbles, whenever I feel the tug of the mudslingers and that playground instinct inches to the surface, I just think on how Barack dusts off his shoulders with a smile and I switch gears, too.
Grace under pressure is possible.
Cheers
I missed the emotional roll call yesterday, but I did see the aftermath - veteran civil rights leaders in tears, longtime party members with reddened eyes and it brought home to me just how impossible some people thought this moment would be.
I never thought it was impossible. I'd say it was a generational thing, but little over a year ago, before Barack's prominence, many people my age didn't think it was possible either. "We'll never see a black president in our lifetime," they'd say. It was such a self defeating belief, so entrenched in fears stoked by our nation's past, that it was sad to see the pessimism so alive in people so young, the very people who would determine the shape of our tomorrows.
There's a fear to hope. A fear of the mountains to climb and mental blocks to slay. A fear of the disappointment, the racism. But without vision, the people perish. Without hope our future looks like yesteryear.
Obviously, I want Barack to be president. It will be interesting to see what impact his race has on people's belief in their own possibilities and limitations. Many still probably can't quite wrap their brain around what it means. What does it say about our nation? Our neighborhoods? Our lives?
For starters, I can say that any strife I've experience doesn't compare to the ridiculousness he's had to deal with recently. His patience and ability to rise above the mess is mind blowing. He was never anchored by the hater machine, which in some cases came from the people he least expected.
And obviously, cable news doesn't ruffle his feathers, either.
Barack is the ultimate modern day example of focus, inspiration and grace.
He's also an example of a leader who operates in integrity. I don't know why some wannabe
leaders believe conniving, backstabbing, duplicitous behavior well intentioned or otherwise
is the way to achieve. While it may seem effective in the short run, it always ends in their own unravelling.
In my own daily squabbles, whenever I feel the tug of the mudslingers and that playground instinct inches to the surface, I just think on how Barack dusts off his shoulders with a smile and I switch gears, too.
Grace under pressure is possible.
Cheers
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