Bodacious Hope

We were sure, back in the summer of 2004, that we had witnessed something America had been missing for so many long years. We made a rash prediction to our skeptical spouse that we would be seeing a lot of this young man and we wouldn't be surprised if he became president some day soon. For a while, the glow from his gift of superb oratory faded until his time was ripe. After two years in the Senate, this gifted neophyte readied himself for the long and perilous primary season, competing with experienced pols and luminary figures, uphill all the way while he put together a winning team that justified his audacious hope. And win he did!

The United States may well look backwards while a new year of promise makes its debut. The year was 1933, and a charismatic man reassured us in his Inaugural address that all we had to fear was fear itself. Franklin Roosevelt knew from the deep recesses of his heart and brain, and from his abiding love for the American people that we were tough, resilient and wise to place our immediate fate in the hands of someone who brought us hope when we needed it most. Seventy-five years later the years have attested to his own fidelity and far-seeing brand of hope.

Barack Obama is now our president-elect, ready to start implementing his plan to avoid the apparent Depression which lurks ominously. He wants to be the chief Executive who will look after the plight of our Middle Class, to right our crazy economic failure, and replace fear with the hope we must accept, giving him or faith and support. This observer remembers the "fireside chats" from FDR to us via radio during those times of peril. We are in the mode of accepting Obama's statements with as much a positive response as we did to our boyhood hero and wartime Commander-in-Chief.

So we welcome aboard, 2009! We are grateful to the Source of all hope and times and tides we mark in passing through the gift of life and perception. We are grateful for the gift of hope throughout all our days…HAPPY NEW YEAR!