Sarah's Books - Used & Rare

The election yesterday leaves me with a surfeit of deep happiness on so many levels, and though I don't often stray into political commentary here, I find I want to speak my gratitude aloud, instead of just doing a happy dance alone in the kitchen. 

First, I was born and raised here in the great state of Maine and this morning finds me once again so happy and proud to live here.  Maine has just made history by becoming the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through a voter referendum, a citizens' initiative.  Maine voters choose equal rights for all.  Maine voters reject bigotry and vote for families.  The old slogan comes to mind, As Maine goes, so goes the nation - I hope this is just the beginning - and it certainly looks to be, as I read election results from around the country.

Second, I am happy for and proud of our former governor and new independent senator, Angus King.  He's a great orator and his victory speech last night was a classic.  Maine cannot be bought and sold; many Mainers gratefully choose the alternative to partisan politics.  I heard him speaking on the radio this morning, and the announcers said they didn't know what to call him, Governor King, Senator King, Senator-elect King, and he cut them off and said he didn't care about all that, just call him Angus.

Third, President Obama's speech last night was too late for me (I did stay up long enough to find out that he had prevailed in the election itself, so I could actually, you know, sleep), but I watched it with tears in my eyes this morning.  What an inspirational leader. 

In short, proud Mainer here, and proud American.  Not in a pride-full sense, rather with a sense that there is nowhere else I would rather live, no other life that could be better than here and now, in this time and place.  Okay, now I have to fill the woodbox before the snow flies, take out the compost, try to balance the checkbook, and get back to the books.  Business as usual, but with such a heartening difference - there is more love in the world, today.