HISTORY!

We have done it!! Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States of America!! This is HISTORY!!! We have shown the world that we aren't that the slavery, racist place that we have been seen to be - we have shown that we are able to see the person apart from the color of the skin, see the possibility of change, see the hope that is real and new and powerful!

I have never been prouder of an election than today! I have never been as overwhelmed by an election - we have found an amazing grace where whites, blacks, Asians and others, men and women, young and old, straight and gay stand together and weep for joy that old prejudices have been overcome.

But as the scenes of McCain's concession speech shows, we see that there is a hell of a lot of work left! Why doesn't one side believe that they alone have the right or the power to determine the direction that our country will go? Thank God Senator John McCain is prepared to offer gracious concession, and the courage to stand up to his own supporters. We MUST work beyond the prejudices of the past, and we MUST learn that one party alone cannot make all the changes necessary - we only accomplish all our dreams when we work Democrat and Republican, men and women, young and old, all races, all faiths, all persons valued for whom they are.

May this be first step in healing all the hatreds, all the broken relationships that have been a part of history. May each of us take every opportunity to move things forward - to hold hands out to one another when we honor our true nature - one person relating to another, simply that - persons in the midst of a life we all share. I would challenge you to do just that - help us move America back into foremost place of showing what life can be, what the values are that we have to stand for, and where we might learn to agree to disagree.

Blessings to all the "disenfranchised" who stepped forward to make an historic election! Peace to all, as we move forward into a new era! I am so proud, so happy!!!!!!!