Sweet Mess

Dear President-Elect Obama,

I am awash with emotions.
I was in awe last night of Senator McCain's gracious and humble concession speech.
I was moved to tears by your acceptance speech. I believe you.
I believe in you. Does it sound naive? Does it sound like I am placing every scrap of hope I have for this great country on your shoulder? Perhaps.

I believe in the integrity and the collective generous spirit of the American people.
Yet somewhere along the way I feel like things got depressing. Things like Monica Lewinsky, and Hurricane Katrina, the 2000 election, the donkey and the elephant duking it out in nasty, un-respectful, underhanded ways, the questionable Iraq war, affairs, lies... Events like these have led us to become cynical and numb. We are all exhausted of forced smiles and fluffy speeches that don't say what is really going on.

I believe we want the hard news. We want to step up. We want to sacrifice and work to make our country strong and viable. We want to continue to be a beacon of hope and democracy around the globe.

I was terribly sorry to hear of your grandmother passing away before she got to see you achieve what you have today. I hope that you are aware of your grandmother's spirit watching over you every time you make a decision. I hope you are thinking: would Grandma approve? I hope you will be calling on your faith, and other areas of intellect on which to base your decisions, and yet I can see how conjuring up your grandmothers face and watching her response could be a true marker for authenticity and solid judgement. It appears to me that many high-ranking officials are oftentimes in desperate need of this sort of basic advice...

I want my daughter to grow up in a country that is actively trying to make the world a better place.
It is a simple wish, and yet it is a mind-boggling task.
Environmentally, financially, and socially- all these areas are in need of innovation and imagination and determination. But I believe as your rally-cry goes: Yes we can.

Here is my list of hopes for America in the coming years:

• That we do more to help the poor. Especially the hard-working loyal poor.

• That we reign in greed.

• That we become more financially stable, and stop incurring debt.

• That we feel, and truly are, safer from terrorism.

• That we support and lead the global effort to end genocides and terrorism.

• That we are able to find sustainable ways to harness energy from our Homeland.

• That the education system enables both teachers and students to become intelligent, creative, and passionate learners/teachers.

• That we willingly are able to make personal sacrifices for the greater good of our precious earth, and that we have a leader who is unafraid to ask this of us.

• Everyone in America to have affordable access to health care.

I loved it when you said: "This victory alone is not the change we seek--it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

I am proud to be an American.
I believe. I am hopeful. I am ready.
Thank you for this new day.

Kelcey Loomer
Mother