I prayed and I wept

Last night, after the time I should have been in bed, I was moved to write this but decided to wait until this morning to post it.

Today was Election Day!

I prayed that God would give all those who were casting ballots the wisdom to vote for those individuals who would lead us in the direction we should go, the direction that would be the best for all of us.

I prayed as I sat at a small table with the ballot before me that I would have the wisdom to elect those individuals who would do the best job for the future of my family, my community, my state, our nation and perhaps even the world.

I marked my ballot. I dropped it in the box. I held my breath waiting for the results.

I turned on the news but could not stand the tension and the conflicting reports. I changed the channel to something that would distract me and I held my breath.

A new President Elect was finally announced and I prayed that he would have courage, wisdom and strength to lead us in the way we should go and I wept.

I listened to his acceptance speech and I wept.

I heard him talk about our history. About people not so very long ago who could not vote because of their sex or the color of their skin and I wept tears of shame and pain for those on both sides of the issues that have come before us.

I heard him talk about reaching across the aisles of our difference, white and black, gay and straight, able and disabled, democratic and republican and I wept tears of hope for the future.

I heard him speak of the changes that have taken place in the last century and his dreams of changes for the next century and I wept tears of relief that perhaps he could bring about some of those changes.

I saw an African American man standing on that stage and I wept at the awesome privilege of witnessing history in the making.

For once, a man was judged based on the content of his character, the words from his heart, the hope he exudes and not on the color of his skin and I wept.

I prayed that all those who have gone before, all those who suffered so much to reach this day, are looking down and are proud that this day has come.

I prayed that this man who stood before us speaking words that moved me to tears can and will do even half of the things he dreams of and speaks of doing.

What a wonderful country this could be if he can continue to lead others to set aside their differences and their prejudices and come together for the good of this country and this world. I prayed that this is the day it will begin and I wept.

Today was Election Day and Barrack Obama became the first African American President Elect.