This will give you a boost of energy...a friend's facebook post
4 years ago I voted for Barack Obama in New York.
On election day my wife and I waited in line for over 4 hours to vote. Everybody it seemed turned out in our neighborhood! People were videotaping the line itself in astonishment of the sheer size. I remember feeling so proud to be an American and in the voting booth I took a snapshot of the ballot with my jankity camera phone. 
That night I had a rehearsal in Times Square. The whole time I was glued to the radio listening in on the results as they were coming in. Crowds of people were beginning to form outside and with each state being claimed for Obama a roar filled the air of Times Square.
FINALLY we were done with rehearsal and all I could think about was getting home to be with my wife to witness this historic moment...I'll never forget "trying" to run through Times Square to get to the train among thousands of people squished NO, STANDING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER watching the jumbo screens and shouting in joy as we were getting closer and closer to that magical #270.
I think I was the only one headed down into the subway and as soon as I went through the turnstile I heard it. The ROAR of a lifetime. Bigger than any NYE Roar...BIGGER than the Blue Angels. HE had won. Waiting for the train never felt so good.
I knew that the people who were on the train still didn't know (because cell phones didn't get reception at that time) so I couldn't wait to tell them! What news!!! As the train doors opened I rushed in and shouted. OBAMA WON! OBAMA WON! and the whole car leapt to their feet and started hugging each other. What a feeling! Now all I needed to do was get home before his acceptance speech! I wanted to see this LIVE!
As if the train conductor knew, the train was at my stop in record time. I got off at Franklin Ave and ran all the way home, cars honking, and people shouting out their windows all the way. Did I miss it? Was I too late? I ran to our friend’s apt. where my wife was. As soon as I stepped in the door, not 5 mins later...he gave his acceptance speech.
A few months later Lila and I scraped together what little money we had and hopped on a bus for D.C. for the Inauguration. It was a zoo, but SO SO worth it. We were with our friends standing in that FREEZING weather. I've never been so cold in my life! BUT it was worth it.
After it was all said and done and we were riding the bus home to NYC I knew that it was going to be a difficult journey. Our economy was on the verge of collapse, two wars, and soooo much hatred and racism for him to overcome...but I had hope. I still have hope.
Now most of my friends have kids (lol) and I myself have a son we are back living in the Bay Area and loving it. I have to have hope for our future. Hope that our son will make this world a better place for his children (if he has them) just like I'm trying to make this world a better place for him, and my parents before me etc etc etc.
BUT, just as anyone who's been involved in teaching, working in a stubborn (afraid of change) environment, or has kids of their own knows...EVERYTHING takes baby steps. This isn't a drive-thru. There's no "Animal Style Economy" you can order...although that might be tasty. BUT working together and doing the best we can do with what's given to us we'll pull through. We always have in the past, and so I have hope for our future.
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