Day 5: The Day After

I like what one of my friends said on her Facebook status this morning--- (she) hopes the people who expect everyone to be happy this morning remember how the left has behaved for the past 8 years before they get indignant.

I have to agree. But I have to add that I hope those on the right will rise above the behavior of the past 8 years and while they may not embrace the man or his positions, they will respect that Obama has the best intentions at heart. (Yeah, I thought the same of Bush. I still think he was surrounded by a bunch of idiotic yes-men who went along with his extremely idiotic schemes. Maybe I am too much of a Pollyanna.) I'm so thankful the election has ended and I hope that the country will look forward and that we can be done with with the sniping, the anger, the nonsense.

Paul and I both voted for a 3rd party candidate--a little protest of two on the way this election season has gone. I know that some will say we essentially voted for Obama with that vote but I don't see it that way. I see it as having a chance to say that I didn't like either candidate and I don't like what is going on with the two major parties. And the great thing about this country is that I can do just that. So much time and money has, in my opinion, been wasted. Was anything accomplished in the past 21 months that couldn't have been accomplished in six months? Was all the money spent really necessary in this day of viral video and instant communication? Did it change anything? What good could it have been used to accomplish? If anything, the past two years have served to make this particular voter become disillusioned, cynical, and slightly apathetic with the entire process. I'm tired of how major partisanship has become. I'm tired of being considered part of the Evil Empire because I have more conservative leanings with some liberal ideas thrown in just to tweak my family (I've heard too many times how the "good guys" won). I'm tired of having my intelligence questioned because I didn't identify with either of the major parties (apparently, Independents are ignorant. I'd argue differently.). I like who McCain used to be--back when he was considered too liberal for the Republicans to nominate in 2000. I'm worried about all the rah-rah surrounding Obama--I don't believe many of his campaign promises will work out for the best for me and my small-business owner husband but I'm willing to give him a chance. I understand the historical implications of this race and I'm proud that I was able to be a part of it. Someday I'll be able to tell our children that yes, I remember this day and how interesting and amazing the time was. And then I'll explain the idea of the third party to the poor sap who has Paul and me for parents.

As for the president-elect, all I can do is what I would do no matter what last night's outcome had been. That is pray. I fervently believe in the power of prayer. I don't agree with the email I received that said we needed to pray for the "right man" to be elected (i.e. McCain). I think at that at that point, we would be asking for God's will to be changed. Instead, I will pray for this country and its return to greatness. I will pray that President Obama will surround himself with wise counsel and make decisions that strengthen the country. I pray that party lines will give way to a UNITED America. I pray that as a country, we continue to work toward the more perfect union outlined by our forefathers. And I hope that others will join me in that prayer (and I respect that not everyone is the praying type and if you don't pray, send out positive energy and good kharma and white light and whatever else works for you).

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."