Finally

There's hardly words to describe last night or the feeling of today -- a new day in our country.

And at the same time, it's hard not to feel a little apprehensive, maybe a little skeptical.

Whether you supported Obama or McCain, there are those nagging doubts. Did the country do the right thing? Does he have enough experience and the fortitude to get us out of the mess we're in?

I think we did and he does. He's already gotten us over the biggest hurdle -- our ability to believe that change is possible.

One of the greatest gifts that Obama has is to tap into our inner idealism. It's hard to trust it -- we've been so disappointed and let down by our government before. It's hard to believe Obama's words of inspiration and hope are really possible.

Yet, his sense of hope is undeniably infectious. I loved this part of his speech where he reminds us of how far we've come in the last century and wonders how much further we might go in the next:

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

And while he staunchly stands by his ideals of what's possible, he's also a very practical realist. He knows we have a hard road ahead and admits he won't be perfect:

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

And then he asks us to join him in helping solve the world's problems. He cannot do it alone:

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

If we allow ourselves to feel that sense of idealism, but approach what lies ahead with the underpinning of realism and responsibility, I think we'll do ok, America. We can all figure our way out of this mess. Yes, we can.

Finally

Experience is Overrated

One of the most surprising things about having cancer is that you often have to choose your course of treatment. Of course, like any other medical issue, you expect that once you're diagnosed, your doctor will sit you down, tell you exactly how to deal with the problem, scribble a prescription and send you on your way. But treating cancer is alot more like plotting military strategy. Depending on the nature of the enemy, the terrain and weather conditions, there are several battle plans that offer promise in overtaking the enemy.

I was faced with planning my own offensive at the very beginning of my adult life. I had just graduated college and was in the midst of searching for my very first "real" job. Once I was diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkins disease, though, it became clear that starting my life would hinge on saving it first.

Because the disease had spread to several body parts, we had to take a carpet bomb approach and I had to choose between three different chemo cocktails. One cocktail had been the proven treatment of choice for decades. It gave me the greatest guarantee of a cure, but it was also the most toxic and I would face almost certain fertility problems later on. The second cocktail had only been around for a decade or so, but it had shown some very real promise in offering a cure with few serious side-effects. The third option was a combination of the two. Bottom line, I had to choose between a guaranteed cure or a likely cure with the probability of being able to bear children.

It was an excruciating choice. Having a family was still years away for me, but I'd always envisioned being a mother, raising my own biological children. But having children wouldn't even be an option if I wasn't alive in the first place. My family and I ultimately put the decision in the hands of someone infinitely more qualified. Thankfully, my doctor was not only a brilliant physician, but a warm and wonderful human being. My parents asked, "If she was your daughter, what would you do?" He didn't hesitate, "If she was my daughter, I would want her to have the best chance for a full and normal life. If you want to have children, I'd choose [the newer, less toxic combination]."

As I look into my daughters' faces, I often think of this fateful decision. Had I not taken a chance on the newer, less-proven option, I may have found other ways to become a mother, but I would have never known these two beautiful girls that my husband and I created. My life is everything I imagined it to be and more.

I'm also reminded of this decision as we Democrats try to choose between two highly qualified candidates to heal our country. Once again, I'm taking a chance on a newer, less proven choice. But I know that it's one that will not only get the job done, but will offer the best chance for the positive and hopeful future that we all envision for our country.

Experience is Overrated

Go Read This

Here's a lesson in balance (or laziness). Rather than expend my own energy and brain cells (of which I have none left to spare) by enthralling you with my own musings, I'm going to direct you to this fabulous post by one of my favorite bloggers. So glad she's back from the playa. I was getting tired of looking at the palm trees on her blog, wishing I was on my own playa.

In her latest post, Mom-101 confirms what us Dems have known all along. Despite all their rhetoric about family values, Republicans are not so much about valuing families.

Read her post, then while you're at it, go to this site and download a free voter guide. It'll give you a great list of questions to ask yourself about the family-friendliness of the candidates you're considering. It's time we elect someone who will do right by those of us trying to earn a living, raise a family and maintain our sanity all at the same time. Our kids may be almost grown by the time we get another shot.

Go Read This