Note from Sharon

Beth never did register to vote. She talked about it but never did it. I'm not sure why. I guess other things are more important to her right now. She is doing well at work--apprentice to the marketing manager and very comfortable in meetings with all the millionaires and high-powered people who are running the place (along with several other businesses). She still calls almost every day and talks her day out which surprises me because she is so capable and so independent. She is going to take me to pick out some clothes when I can drive again. It is so easy for her and so very difficult for me. She is quite amazing to me.

David is in between right now. I think that letting go of what was is extremely hard and trusting enough to open up to what is next is even harder. I think that is where his biggest challenge is right now.

I had really mixed feelings about the candidates. Obama, the way he moves and talks, reminds me of how Peter used to be when he was more alive than he is now. I really liked him as a man but didn't trust him completely as a politician. McCain on the other hand, I wasn't sure about either and Sarah Palin's voice was everywhere and was becoming irritating to me and I wanted her to stop talking so much. In the end, because of his history as a POW, I made my decision for McCain. I decided that to do what he had done, especially when he decided to stay with his men when he had the choice to leave, that that showed undeniable character, something that is not easily won or lost and so I still believe it is still there and would show up again if our country was in dire need of it. I think Obama has a strong character too but it hasn't been tried yet so I don't know what he'll do when faced with the need for it.

Regardless, Obama is president now. He is president for all of us. I didn't know the "black thing" was so important to people but I can see it in their faces now that the decision has been made. I remember colored town on the way to church in Ada when we first moved there and how you could see daylight through their walls and that everything was the same drab color--the ground, the wood, the trees, the dirt, the people. I remember Napier school and Hammond Heights. I remember the faces of my friends who were black in high school when somebody made a snide remark. I remember the faces most of all--and wished it was time.

I remember thinking during the election that it was finally time--whether for a woman or a black man--that it just doesn't matter that much to people anymore--it never did for me. So, when I saw those people rejoicing in the streets and like when Whoopie Golberg said that she was finally able to put down her suitcase after all these years--I rejoiced too. It was time. It is time. And because of it, we are all a little different now. That's a good thing.

I think there are hard times ahead--things that will test Obama to the limit--maybe even things that will test us all--but we've passed tests before and we will pass this one too.

I wish you lived down the street so I could come to bring you some eggs and see what's on your walls.