We interrupt this blog...

...for a little bit of deeper thinking. I don't typically go this route simply because I'm not sure that anyone really is into any more than pics of Bailey and what's going on in her life. However, I don't want to forget this thought and, as they always say, "the memory is the first to go." And, it's my blog, so I'll type what I want to (or, something like that)

I was thinking about this as we watched Barack Obama's acceptance speech on election night. The speech was, for us, moving, and inspiring, and encouraging. I had many moments that caused me to well up with hope for the first time in a pretty dreary eight years. Regardless of how anyone felt about the election - I don't think that many can deny that it is time for a change. Both candidates preached about it during the campaign. I did vote for Barack Obama, and I've been quite open about that. I've read a number of posts by folks who did not vote that way stating that people voted for him because he was black - while I'm sure that there were some who did, I was not one of those. I can't imagine voting that way, without any intelligent thought.

I was born in 1967, certainly not the "height" of racial times. But, while we were supposedly a society that "shunned" racism, and all men were created "equal", that wasn't evidenced in this country. I distinctly remember studying the formation of our country and being told that all men and women of all colors, shapes and sizes were created equal and that we were a country that presented every opportunity for everybody. But, until I was in my 20's, I don't recall any black men or women in the professional workforce, or in places of power (CEOs and executives). In school, it was a sea of white until 5th grade (that's the first year that I remember any other ethnicities in my classroom - although, my 4th grade teacher from from the Philippines). But, we TALKED about equality like it was something that existed. It was talked about a lot. But, never demonstrated in the world that I saw.

Over the last week I've had this thought running through my mind. Bailey will never remember the "Bush years". She'll study them in school, but she won't have any recollection of the job that he's done in office. The very earliest that Obama will leave office, though, will put her at 7 years old. She'll remember these years. She'll remember that he was president. She won't, necessarily, consider his presidency and weigh in on how well he did. She'll just remember that he was president. But, when they teach that all men are created equal, she'll SEE that as true. She will never experience conflict between the principle and the truth alive in her world. She will always see that to be fact. She will always see that there truly are no limitations. I love that my daughter is being raised in that kind of world. A world where there are no limitations. And, don't think that I'm naive - I certainly see that there are many other influences that aren't so positive. But, for this moment, I'm so encouraged by this - my daughter will always remember a world where anything is possible because all men and women are created equal.