That breeze you feel is the collective sigh of relief many inhabitants of this country, including me, are expelling now that the elections are over. Regardless of results, I always feel a HUGE sense of "Thank G-d THAT'S over" the day after the election. (Except for 2000, when the hanging chads left us all twisting in the wind for 3 months!)
I used to get all caught up in election fever; glued to the TV watching results, cheering on my home team and booing the visitors, exultant if we won and bereft if we lost. But now? Not so much.
Partly because it seems like the last few elections have been reactionary; we don't like what's going on, so we vote against the party in power. But also because I realize I HAVE to stay hopeful. It takes too much energy (and I lose too much sleep, and heaven knows I don't get enough as it is!) to wring my hands and worry about the future all the time.
Am I crazy to hope that a divided congress will force the parties to work together? I realize it may not happen, but a girl can dream, right?
But the BEST part of the day after the election is knowing that, for a little while anyway, THERE WILL BE NO CAMPAIGN ADS!!!!!!!
Seriously, I feel like I can breathe more freely now than I have in months, just knowing I can turn on the radio and TV without being bombarded by useless, information-less, nasty political ads. (And they come from both sides.)
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to vote! I think it's a duty we all have, and many people fought, bled and died for the right. A lot of folks all over the world still don't have this right, so I am very grateful for it. (And the lovely volunteers and free cookies at our polling place don't hurt, either.) There is a sense that (to quote "High School Musical") we're all in this together, expressing our opinions and giving voice to our government.
"We the people" indeed.
Plus, well, the parade for the Giants is about to start, and it's hard to be TOO upset over anything when your team has just won the World Series for the first time in 54 years AND the first time in this city!
So, yay us! To everyone who voted, who got involved in any way, and who cares about where we're headed. To all of us for surviving another election season, regardless of our political leanings.
And now, I must clean the house.
Harumph!
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2 comments:
I just read a blog post by a woman who /hated/ the Giant's parade. Of course, she was trying to cross Market street for some important reason, which might have influenced her feelings :)
Me, I think it's great. I still remember my father taking me to my first Giant's game. I'm glad they won :)
I would imagine that trying to get around in the city today was pretty hellish,lol!
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