O-bam-a! [from the DraftVault]

Well, we did it! I still get all good-feely inside when I think about it, and hopeful about the future in a way that I haven't felt for years.

And I've been watching the wave of almost-religious (or, hell, just plain religious) fervor that's been sweeping the country - the world, in fact - as a result of the results of this election - and I have to admit that as wonderful and literally awe-some it is (on the one hand) to see this kind of reaction, and the positive momentum that has built, I kinda have mixed feelings about it. It scares me a little, in the way that any kind of idolatry scares me, religious or otherwise, because it's inherently false, or misplaced [from the Greek eidolon - an image, phantom, apparition] - the object of devotion cannot but fail to completely live up to expectation - and as such, it can so easily go awry - it can so easily turn negative, or even violent.

And I don't even mean non-Obama-supporters against the rest of us, or even against Obama - I mean Obama supporters against each other... I catch a whiff here and there of suspicion - am I as true an Obama-believer as the next Obama fan? Do I have real Faith, or did I just go and vote... hmm....

It's a paradox, really - my friend Kristen and I were talking about it the other night - that in order for a public figure to move the masses, he/she has to inspire. And to inspire, she/he has to [by definition] be inspirational - to reach the deepest depths of our human emotion, and get us going. And the minute the deepest depths of our human passions are reached... well, goodbye rational thinking; hello weird fanatic maniacs. It's the history of Christianity all over again. But that's the thing -you can't have the one without the other. Any figure who inspires - Jesus, Gandhi, MLK, hell, even Lennon - also inspires irrationality and insanity in some percentage of the population -the people who can't take the spiritual heat, and react in fear, or over-zealousness. The people who miss the point, and confuse the man with the message.

Maybe. My hope is that most of us can stay sane and balanced, while still pouring forth all the hope and positive energy that's been bottled up in us during 8 long winter years. And not towards a man (albeit a great man), but towards the dream of a better America.

Hmm... (she goes off on a slight tangent) - this suddenly seems like a Narnia moment - the White Witch only has a few more days to rule; soon those of us turned to stone will roar again, and the trees will dance and rejoice - the battle is won!

(after we deal with that nagging economic crisis)