Friday, December 14, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
4 More Years!
The past year has flown by in a blink, and I can't believe it is December already! As most Americans are well aware, 2012 was a Presidential Election year and our President of the United States, Barack Obama, was running for re-election.
In 2008, I volunteered quite a bit of my free time to the Obama campaign, mostly during the primaries when Obama was seeking the nomination against Hillary Clinton, but 2012 saw a different campaign, a re-election campaign for our 44th President. I knew early on I was going to get involved, in fact our campaign sign made its debut in the front window of our house from about December 2011 onward, but surprisingly the election didn't really pick up steam until late in the summer of 2012, once we knew Mitt Romney was the official GOP nominee.
Mitt was a scary candidate. It appeared he had a lot of support, he favored the wealthy, and his social blunders were just down right rude…and let's not even talk about his stance on women's rights. The POTUS was not without his own campaign blunders, and missteps but he held true in his stance for equality for all.
I began volunteering in September calling from the Obama campaign phone bank to undecided voters in Nevada and Ohio, I contributed more money than I care to mention , and the amount of campaign gear, signs, and stickers I handed out, wore, or mailed was obscene. I remained confident throughout, that no matter what happened the right man would win the election.
November 6th arrived, and I have to say it was the longest and most stressful day of the year for me. I took the day off work, arrived at the campaign office in Hillcrest around 9am and worked that phone bank until late afternoon. I came home around 5pm, turned on CNN, and sat back to watch the returns…after all the wondering, worrying, and stressing, the time had finally come!
The polls started to close at 3pm PST, and results started to come in around 4:30pm…the first round of results made my heart sink, all middle America states, and all turning red for Romney. Around 7pm the tide started to turn..the numbers started to stack in Obama's favor, swing states started to turn blue, and the momentum picked up quickly. By 10pm the election had been called…
Barack Obama had been re-elected as President of the United States! It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted and I could breathe a sigh of relief. Pure joy and elation! 4 more years!
I can't pretend that a lot of change can happen in this country due to politics, but I can say that I have witnessed history with the election and re-election of the 1st Black American President, and I witnessed it happen because ordinary Americans such as myself were given someone and something to believe in, and we gave ourselves and our time in the hopes of making this country a better place. If nothing else comes of the next four years, at least I saw change in the motivation of young voters, grassroots volunteers, and a shift in the importance of social issues and equality.
Mr. President, I believe in you!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Our Honeymoon
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Friday, May 4, 2012
His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama
Throughout my life when the hypothetical question arose "if you could meet anyone in the world living or dead, who would it be?" my answer was always the same…Bob Marley or The Dalai Lama. I didn't get the opportunity to meet Bob, but I visited his home in Kingston, Jamaica as a graduation from high school gift to myself in 1993, and I didn't get to meet The Dalai Lama, or even come within 100 feet of him, BUT… I DID get to sit in the RIMAC Arena at the University of California San Diego, May 18th, 2012 and see my idol in person and listen (in awe) to His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama speak. It was a truly amazing experience and one I will carry with me throughout my life.
His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama came to San Diego on a speaking engagement called Compassion without Borders. At our particular talk the topic was Climate Change and the Environment, something that is very important to me and resonates in my daily life. The moment he walked out on stage my eyes welled up, it was as if he lit up the room with his aura. I was mesmerized when I heard him speak, and the sound of his giggle made my heart smile. The Dalai Lama was funny, charming, sincere, and realistic. When talking about environmental issues and climate change things can seem a little worrisome and exasperating, but surprisingly, this time it was inspirational and optimistic. As the words were being spoken I could feel the impact of change they were making in me. I felt a strong desire for a different kind of life, a simple and empowering existence.
The Dalai Lama is considered one of the most spiritual beings living today. He has devoted his entire life to the teachings of Buddha, and has been living as an exiled monk in India for over 50 years. However, he doesn't let religion define him. He is his own person, and lives for humanity. He talks about simple truths, and sees each person as just human, no pretenses. Science intrigues the Dalai Lama and he lives in a realistic present. If science proves his religion or tradition wrong, then he makes adjustments. My take away from this peaceful man is that he evolves humanly, spiritually, and peacefully to the betterment of the world and for humanity.
For me, I had been waiting 37 years to be in His Holiness's presence and hear his words. As I walked across the campus to my car I knew the gravity of this experience had not finished making its impact on me, it took some time to really seep into my soul. I don't think it was the Dalai Lama that left the biggest impression on me that day, but he did help me find enlightenment. The simplest of things can be with you throughout your life and you know them to be true, but one day, someone or something comes along and opens something within yourself, and you start thinking clearly.
I won't go into what exactly has changed for me, or the steps I am going to take to be a better person, but I do hope that everyone has or will find that moment in their lives where they gain perspective and inspiration…maybe everyone has and I'm just late to the game! A girl can hope.
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