As I write this, nothing about today's election is yet determined. But I'm going to go out on a limb and predict a win for Hillary Clinton -- giving us a first female American president.
I like firsts that shatter at least a few barriers to success. I like them when they make a positive statement. I like them when they involve women, because I am surrounded by girls in my family and their future depends in part in how this society regards women.
So I like predicting that Ms Clinton will lead this nation, following the tremendously awesome presidency of Mr. Obama.
These, at least, are my happy thoughts and I'll keep them with me for the rest of this beautiful November day.
And it is a brilliantly sunny day yet again! Ed and I had contemplated going out to breakfast after voting, but we love our breakfast at home and so we reverse ourselves and eat first. In the sun room...
And then we vote. No lines, no fuss. Ballots cast.
When I pick up Snowdrop at school, I see that she is in a spirited and happy mood. Wouldn't this be a good time to take her for her first real haircut? Her parents had given me the instruction to either cut or have cut their little one's rather wild and uneven hair and though I've cut Snowdrop's bangs many a time, I decided to let Lyndsy -- a neighborhood stylist -- do the first all around trim. I have a sentimental attachment to this small little salon, as it's where my younger girl had her hair done for her wedding and it's where my older girl and I continue to get haircuts. May as well add a generation to Lyndsy's repertoire.
I walk in, just to ask if there would be a good time to schedule a visit today, but Lyndsy herself is at that moment getting a hair treatment and she happily pauses to work on Snowdrop.
Neither of us are sure how the little girl would take to the whole experience. I'll let you guess!
(Before)
("Can you look down?" Well, sort of...)
There. Finished. After:
Let's see the back!
Happy girl! But then, this is how one would describe Snowdrop on most days, haircut or no haircut!
At home, she rediscovers an old toy that requires a lot of thumb action and as I watch her, I again have the uncanny feeling of seeing her as she will be perhaps a decade from now...
Ah, may that happiness at discovering all life's possibilities always stay with her!
I have a rather unusual early evening -- I'm scheduled to have a drink with two women who were once (several decades ago!) my students and who are now very successful in their lawyering work in town. It's always special when someone morphs from being student to friend and somehow it feels especially right on this day to beam at the way the lives of these two bright and happy women have turned out.
And then I return home and watch election returns with Ed and it strikes me that he is the one guy who has crossed my path today, but there isn't a sweeter way to end this day, this election, this important election than to celebrate it at home, us two, munching on pistachios and chocolates as the evening progresses.
I like firsts that shatter at least a few barriers to success. I like them when they make a positive statement. I like them when they involve women, because I am surrounded by girls in my family and their future depends in part in how this society regards women.
So I like predicting that Ms Clinton will lead this nation, following the tremendously awesome presidency of Mr. Obama.
These, at least, are my happy thoughts and I'll keep them with me for the rest of this beautiful November day.
And it is a brilliantly sunny day yet again! Ed and I had contemplated going out to breakfast after voting, but we love our breakfast at home and so we reverse ourselves and eat first. In the sun room...
And then we vote. No lines, no fuss. Ballots cast.
When I pick up Snowdrop at school, I see that she is in a spirited and happy mood. Wouldn't this be a good time to take her for her first real haircut? Her parents had given me the instruction to either cut or have cut their little one's rather wild and uneven hair and though I've cut Snowdrop's bangs many a time, I decided to let Lyndsy -- a neighborhood stylist -- do the first all around trim. I have a sentimental attachment to this small little salon, as it's where my younger girl had her hair done for her wedding and it's where my older girl and I continue to get haircuts. May as well add a generation to Lyndsy's repertoire.
I walk in, just to ask if there would be a good time to schedule a visit today, but Lyndsy herself is at that moment getting a hair treatment and she happily pauses to work on Snowdrop.
Neither of us are sure how the little girl would take to the whole experience. I'll let you guess!
(Before)
("Can you look down?" Well, sort of...)
There. Finished. After:
Let's see the back!
Happy girl! But then, this is how one would describe Snowdrop on most days, haircut or no haircut!
At home, she rediscovers an old toy that requires a lot of thumb action and as I watch her, I again have the uncanny feeling of seeing her as she will be perhaps a decade from now...
Ah, may that happiness at discovering all life's possibilities always stay with her!
I have a rather unusual early evening -- I'm scheduled to have a drink with two women who were once (several decades ago!) my students and who are now very successful in their lawyering work in town. It's always special when someone morphs from being student to friend and somehow it feels especially right on this day to beam at the way the lives of these two bright and happy women have turned out.
And then I return home and watch election returns with Ed and it strikes me that he is the one guy who has crossed my path today, but there isn't a sweeter way to end this day, this election, this important election than to celebrate it at home, us two, munching on pistachios and chocolates as the evening progresses.
Oh, I wish we were celebrating.
ReplyDeleteI know. And it hurts that she'll lose it in Wisconsin. So we concentrate on creating a good future for our kids despite any/all obstacles.
DeleteYes!
DeleteIt hurts so badly.
ReplyDeleteYes it does.
DeleteWe were stunned... the dark night of the soul... I wondered, WHO are all these people whom I don't understand? at all?
ReplyDeleteWe were completely caught by surprise, along with everyone else, apparently, including The Candidate, who had already been intimating that his impending defeat would be rigged.
This morning, I was off to teach pre-K and to be immersed in the wonderful world of 4 & 5 year olds. How mentally healthy for me. I have a new little girl in my class, and on her first day today she looked at me with shining eyes and said "I have friends!"
All we can do is keep teaching and fostering kindness, fairness, and respect for one another.
Indeed. Listening, reading -- I understand the feeling of loss, of displacement. It's harder to understand the handing of power to someone who has not demonstrated any ability to address that loss or to create a better future. It's like entrusting your child to a stranger who knew how to apportion blame even as he wasn't clear as to how to do better by your little one.
DeleteI agree so much with your last sentence. We don't descend to the lowest denominator. We reject hate and we move forward with compassion and kindness.