I was drowning in negativity and didn’t even realize it. Sometimes it just happens that way. It starts with a slow drip… drip… drip. Then the water starts to rise until you are in over your head and you think it’s too late for anyone to throw you a life jacket.

I guess it started last January. Rodney and I were both passionate Hillary Clinton supporters. Please understand we never disliked Barack Obama. We simply liked her more than we liked him.

Things were looking pretty good and we were inspired by her… moved by her energy and convinced she was going to win. Then things took an ugly turn. She got ugly, her supporters got ugly, and we all got a little too confident. The bottom fell out and we all know how that ended.

By summer, she had bowed out and thrown her support behind Barack, and we did too. That’s when things got ugly from the Republicans, and the ugliness only intensified as the year went on. We became CNN junkies, watching the news programs every night.

Once autumn rolled around, discussions about Barack Obama were a regular part of our routine. Rodney and I would start the morning examining polls, news reports, and we were both deeply invested in this campaign. By October, we joked to each other that we’d become so wrapped up in politics that we couldn’t remember what life was like before this campaign. What were we going to talk about after November 4th?

Well the day has finally come, and I feel an incredible sense of peace and relief that this hard fought battle is over. I feel renewed, like I’m about to experience a new world that I’ve never seen before. A better place.

CNN interviewed Oprah Winfrey after Barack gave his speech tonight, and I was so moved by her. She always inspires me, and I guess I had forgotten what it’s like to feel good. I’ve been so tense, so bitter and angry about the constant attacks on Obama from the Republicans over the recent months. I guess I was drowning in anger and didn’t even know it.

It’s time to get back to peace now. It’s time to lick our wounds and find common ground with our brothers and sisters. It’s time for me to be a more positive, more inspirational person like I used to be. It’s time for me to get back to the real Nathan.

I’m so happy to have experienced this in my lifetime. No victory comes without some dark times. We’re now moving into the light.

Won’t you help me bring the light into the world? Let’s roll up our sleeves and be the best we can be every day. When I think of Barack Obama, I don’t think about the man I was, I think about the man I want to be.

You said it best when you said that you/we’ve all forgotten what it feels like to feel good. And I think that I’m right there with you….with the anger and all of that crap that has built up. Gotta go, the tears are prohibiting my ability to write…..

Ditto. It is wonderful to feel good again, to feel proud of your country (thank you, Michelle)!

I am not sure I could have put it better. However, last night at the Rally was the first time in a long time that I felt good, a real feeling that I knew would last. And what a wonderful morning waking up still feeling good.

Very Nicely Stated.

I was looking for an email addy to send this to b/c I didn’t want to traffic your comments with a plug for a crosslink. However, the site my coauthor and I run really matches the platform that you present. Feel free to check it out. aviewofthec.com

I recently moved from Birmingham to Seattle so any connection to geographies I’m familiar with are a welcomed experience.

-wbj

we voted for him in droves and he needs to step up now. we got fucked tuesday by many ‘progressives’ who voted for him. time for the old civil rights guys and gals to realize that gay rights is the civil rights issue of the 21st century. we helped get obama elected. the day they never thought they’d see has come. we need their help and his help now.