a new hope

i left the gym today feeling lighter. not because i perspired my way through 8.5 miles on the bike, but because after i climbed the stairs to my polling place and voted in the 2008 presidential election. it was my fourth time voting in a presidential election, but for some reason, it felt different. it felt more inspiring. maybe it's because i truly feel excited about barack obama. or maybe it was the latte i treated myself to after my ballot was submitted. but either way, i took a deep breath and smiled at the world around me.

and now i go to bed, proud of my country for proving that you don't have to be an old, white man to be elected president of this great nation. and, regardless of your chosen candidate, i am proud of everyone i know for getting out to vote and play a role in this important day. the only way i could sleep more soundly was to know that californians chose NOT to vote hate and discrimination into our state constitution by putting limitations on the definition of marriage. unfortunately, i'm not sure that that's going to happen, but instead of laying here worrying about it, i think i'm going to take a deep breath and let the hope of it all be the louder voice in my head.