A DAY IN HISTORY

For me the day began around 6 am, as my eyes sprang open to check the time my body quickly started into gear, which under normal circumstances is the opposite, I am not a morning person. The phone rang at about 6:10, it was my brother calling to say he's in line to vote and there were already over 30 people ahead of him. My family and I sprang into action, threw water on our faces, toothpaste on our brushes and scrambled out of the house in sweats, uggs and the like just to make it around the corner at the nearest school to vote.

The day just seemed different than any other day, that I can remember. I just remember feeling so energized and optimistic that I was actually living in a day in which was history! I walked up to the table and offered my name, signed the huge book of registered voters for my town and waited in line. When I got in the booth I stood there a while, looked at all the names on the ballot and then cast my vote! As I hit the button, for a quick moment I almost felt like I could feel the emotions that ran through the generations before me who fought so hard for this privilege. I thought about all of the men and women who couldn't go to school, those who couldn't eat in the same restaurants or stay in the same hotels. I thought about those people and how they must've felt when they finally saw the day that they could go to school and even in a school that wasn't segregated. I thought about the people who for the first time could eat at the same restaurants as the others, I thought about those people and how they must've felt the first time they weren't turned away from a hotel and I felt all of the years of waiting and anticipation on my back and as I exited the booth I said to myself "the day has come."

It was a sight to see so many people on line waiting both black and white. To look at a brother or sister in line and our eyes connect, there was an air of pride and dignity that was an aroma that was so sweet. To be at this place in time, watching the final moments before Barack Obama was officially declared President Elect my heart beat quickly, my eyes watered and I said to my mother, "is it for real, is he really the next President of the United States of America?" We quickly flipped to the other channels and YES it was Real our next President was Barack Obama!!!!

To say the least I feel such an overwhelming sense of pride and respect. This is the year of New Beginnings and though most of the year has seen some of our countries most down times, there has been history made, barriers have been broken, stereotypes lifted and as an African American woman, I can say to my African American son and mean it, Yes You Can! To have such a significant figure to look up to, in my life time it is such a great honor and I am so proud to be an American, even more so I am so proud to be an African American. My prayer is that as a country we can remove the stereotypes that plague us. I pray that we can set a new standard, that we will raise the bar as a people and that this day is the beginning of a new day in how we see eachother and how we see ourselves. We can no longer hide behind excuses and say that we aren't given the opportunity, that excuse will no longer be acceptable!!!! If for some reason we aren't given the opportunity then we have to make the opportunity!! Let's take advantage of everything that our ancestors fought for. We come from a long line of greatness. Let's all step up to the plate and hit it out the park!!!!

I thank you for sharing this very emotional and historic day with me and for tuning in to another episode of The "J" Spot.

Peace & Blessings

Daddy's Girl