When We Were Great

When was the last time you were proud of our country?  I'm talking proud, really proud...of our leadership, our progress, our generosity, and our example for generations to come.  I asked myself that question recently and honestly was stumped for an answer.  I know this country was great once.  I know we have done a lot of wonderful things for a lot of wonderful people.  Still, despite my 36-year-old memory, I was at a loss for examples--that was until I met Barack Obama.

From the moment I met Barack...I was hooked.  He spoke of love.  He spoke of possibilities.  He spoke of leadership. He spoke of the country our forefathers fought for, and the one our children would inherit.  It was something to be proud of. For the first time in my life, not only am I interested in politics--I am passionate about it. And that passion has given way to action.

When I met Mr. Obama, I had just one question: "What would you say to people who are so discouraged with the state of our country and the ethics of our politicians that they don't even vote or don't believe that anything can change?" 

His answer:  "Things can change because they've changed before.  Think of the world before women had the right to vote or black people could ride in the front of the bus.  They could have stopped or settled or given up, but they didn't.  Instead they rose up to say this doesn't work, this is unacceptable, this won't happen--not in my America.  Change isn't easy.  It takes perserverance and participation.  It takes getting involved--from the bottom up, not the top down.  And if it's possible, it's worth pursuing."

One Thing I Know For Sure:  The future depends on what we do in the present. (Gandhi)