Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The days after....

The sun began peeking through the blinds. I felt the heat on my face and began to stir. I barely slept a wink, I had to see the election results and listen to the commentary. I felt tired, too tired to work, I’ll take today off. This was the new day in America that we have prayed for; this was the first day of the new chapter in history for our country and just as importantly for OUR people. Surely the people had celebrated themselves to giddiness, and they were sleeping in or too tired to do anything. I decided to dedicate my day to reviewing the new America. I got in my car and began driving, not really knowing where I would go. The sun seemed a little brighter this morning. I need gas so I pulled into a station, but gas was still over $3 a gallon. I guess that will take time...change is coming … I bought a cup of coffee at $1.50…Yeah that will go down soon…change is coming.

I looked around my neighborhood, and to my dismay…things looked much the same as they had been yesterday. Maybe the historic events of the previous night have not taken root yet. Is it possible that there are still people apathetic to the significance of THIS election? Ok, let’s wait to see what happens later. I decided to give it a little time.

In Afghanistan, another soldier lost his life…nothing changed there yet…In Iraq, another life given in defense of …well of an ideal…no changes yet. Domestically, people were murdered, robbed, and beaten today as with any other day in the life of this great country. Hmmm…I guess this may take longer than I thought. I kept looking around, day after day, waiting patiently for change to happen. It never did. I wondered what is wrong with YOU people? Why won’t you …just…just …. CHANGE? I found myself getting more and more disappointed as each day passed. Disappointment became sadness, sadness turned to indifference, and indifference became anger. In a fury now, I began to curse the day I was filled with hope for a better tomorrow.

As I prepared for another angry angst filled day, I went to the bathroom to prepare for the day. There I found the source of my issues; the problem had been there from since that Election Day. The problem had been staring me in the face all along. The change I was looking for was not to come from some dynamic figure or history making event. The change had to start with me. I had to change. I had to do what I hadn’t done before… I had to do what I wouldn’t do…. I had to take personal initiative and start the change ball rolling. The change was to come from each of us…all of us…doing just a few things, just a little bit differently. Things that contribute, rather than take away….things that build up rather than tear down. I’ve always had the answer…we’ve always had the answer. It has always been, and still is up to us as individuals to institute the change we seek in our lives.

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