last night

Today's soundtrack:
"Gate 22" by Pascale Picard
"Red Flag" by Billy Talent
"Your Rocky Spine" by Great Lake Swimmers

President-Elect Obama.

Been smiling like an idiot all day. I knew last night was going to be one of those nights, but I don't think I was expecting the afterglow to last as long. I've read a lot of blogs and editorials today. Most of them focus on how wonderful it is that an African-American has won the presidency.

That's not why I'm excited. Sure, I lost it when I saw Jesse Jackson in the crowd, tears streaming down his face. Sure, I understand the racial divide in the States is something monumental to be overcome. But that's not why I'm excited.

It's taken me all day to be able to articulate this properly. Poor Miguel was stuck listening to my ramblings at 1am as I tried to explain why I am beside myself with glee.

During the CBC coverage of the election, they did a segment at the White House. The correspondent (Henry Champ, I think), gave a brief blurb but then gave his attention fully to what was happening in the street outside of the White House. Pennsylvania Avenue was packed with young adults. The noise was immense. The Secret Service were twitchy. Champ said that the people in the street had surrounded a car.

Later on in the night, the CBC went back to Champ and the White House. Champ explained that they were a bunch of university students who began texting each other when Obama was announced the winner. They all agreed to converge on the White House, but not to protest. To celebrate. They were dancing for joy in the street.

It is that joy, that relief, that the long dark eight years of the Bush presidency are almost over that hit me the hardest. That knowledge the world made it through, a little worse for wear, but changed. Obama's speech summed that up nicely.

Mom hit the nail on the head on the phone: "It's like they've got their innocence back." I, for one, cannot wait to hear the inauguration speech.