Thursday, August 28, 2008

8:12 and I Am Still Crying

I have almost never been one to lay my political feelings out on this blog. I privately believe myself to be an optimist, but in writing, I am most often cynical and sarcastic. But I need to say this:

There has never been anything I thought I couldn't do because I am a woman. The most successful, dynamic, and beautiful people I know are women. And I will tell you on any day and on any occasion that I am a feminist, not because I wish to be equal to men, but because I love women, and want us all to know that we are worthy of, that we are capable of, that we have to ability to achieve EVERYTHING. If anything, I expect more of myself because I am a woman.

But I need to tell you this, guys. I need to tell you this: There have been so many things that I have thought that I could not do, because I am black.

And that stopped tonight. I never thought that I would see this moment. I never thought that I could believe in a country the way I believe in America tonight.

I feel like a child again, and I realize that I still have my whole life ahead of me, that my future children still have their whole lives in front of them.

You do, too. And we can do anything. All of us. We can do anything. And we can do it together.

I will always remember how I felt right now. And no matter what happens, I will try to hold on to it.

I am so sad that my mother couldn't have been here to see this. "Not in our lifetime," she answered with a practical shrug when I asked her if there would ever be a black president.

She would have loved this. She almost never cried, but I believe she would have done so tonight.

This is so important to everyone that ever thought that there was something about themselves that would hold them back forever. It can't and hopefully it won't.

It is 8:36 and I have finally stopped crying.

Now, I'm just smiling. Obama '08.

100% Love,
etc

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you Ernessa for not holding that one back! We are all better for this night.