Barack Obama, Our Next President. Can I Live With That? Yes I Can.

Found this really cool mosaic of Barack Obama on Flickr. Thanks to whoever created it and made it available to download. It's really cool. It's Obamarific!

When my wife and I buckle down to clean the house….I mean, REALLY clean the house….we tend to gear up for some warfare. (Including friendly fire.) We’re very different, my wife an I.  She tackles one project and wont stop until it’s finished, even if it takes hours. I, on the other hand, will tackle a project, find a small secondary project that pulls me into another room of the house…which eventually spills over into another room of the house….etc. Eventually all of the rooms and the house will be clean, but the two forces working together sometimes don’t generate the immediate outcome both parties desire. But, in the end, whichever party succumbs to the other’s process…the house is clean.

I just watched on television President-Elect Barack Obama’s acceptance speech in front of a crowd of thousands in Chicago. It was a charismatic, riveting speech. He’s a brilliant speaker. I watched the polls on different channels and I voted myself. (I have the sticker to prove it.) It was a very interesting race, but I think going into it, I knew what was going to happen. The media predicted it…I kinda felt it…and it isn’t a surprise that Obama won. (At least to me.)

First and foremost, I think it is terrific that we have an African-American President. (Subsequently, I loved the fact that we had a woman Vice-Presidential candidate too.) Whether or not I voted for Obama will be kept a secret, but I will say that I will (and always have) supported my President. I love my country and I think it is not only my duty, but my privilege to honor that particular office in moving forward, whatever my personal feelings about the outcome of the election may be.

Our problems in this country, in this state, in this city….in my own backyard….aren’t going to dissolve simply because we voted for a new President. (Democrat/Republican, Black/White, Male/Female, Conservative/Liberal.) President-Elect Obama talks about change. He talks about believing in change. Without looking back (because no one can change the past) who doesn’t want things to change for good? A brighter tomorrow, whether it means a stronger economy, different philosophies or simply a cleaner house…is something we’d all like to have, right? Even if John McCain won, we’d still look forward to tomorrow.

I challenge you to think about our President-Elect as the 44th President instead of the first black President, or the new Democrat President, or the dude without a birth certificate or “questionable background.” For those with concerns regarding Obama’s past…the situation remains: it’s irrelevant. It’s in the past now, because he is our next President. Voting is half of the process. I did that. The other half is supporting the country’s decision. If you voted for McCain…this second part will be harder to do. (Much like abiding by someone else’s process when cleaning the house!) But, you don’t stop the process because you didn’t get your way. It’s just a different way in the same process. The house still needs cleaning.

Comedy Central will still poke fun at our President….SNL will no doubt come up with something good….pretty sure Oprah will sleep good tonight. But above all…we have a new President. We have a new leader. I’ve often said that I don’t much care for either candidate that much. For the position of the leader of the free world…I would think we could find a couple of better candidates…but such is life! I mean, who really wants to be President anyway. Once you have the most powerful job in the world…where do you go from there? It’s almost setting yourself up for failure on the onset! (From a rather big picture, juvenile perspective!) So, I guess for a guy to step up and take charge, no matter who he or she may be…that is admirable.

I may sound ignorant in the ways of politics…perhaps I am. But I don’t think that I’m ignorant in the ways of mankind. And with that said, I think as a human being it is my responsibility to look forward to tomorrow with great hope…great optimism…and continued strength. If you are an Obama supporter, this is a day of victory. If you support McCain…you’re not very happy right now. Whether it’s because you don’t agree with Obama’s political agendas, campaign platform, personal beliefs…..or maybe you just think McCain is cute and cuddly. Whatever. It really doesn’t matter now. One thing remains: We’re all Americans and we live in the best country in the world. Barack Obama will be my President. John McCain will not. Whether I am happy with that or not…I can live with that. Yes I can.