Hope Full

It's hard to tell from my posts the last few weeks, but I am really not a political person. For the first time in my life, I have a yard sign and bumper sticker and I've contributed in small ways to a political campaign. It's not much, but I'm trying to do my American part for an important election. Two years ago I was full of hope - hoping that a candidate would emerge who could appeal to the middle majority and help heal the red-state, blue-state division we've had for 8 years. That hasn't happened.

So, I've adjusted my hopes. Here's what I'd like now:

I hope that we soon get tired of discussing funny sounding names, hair plugs and beauty pageant queens, animals wearing lipstick, views of foreign soil from front yards, inexperience vs inexperience, the value of diamond earrings, and apparent senior moments.

I hope we begin to look seriously at the problems the new administration will face: exploding federal deficit, trade imbalance, two unending wars, rising unemployment, rising health care costs, the banking meltdown, the housing meltdown, the energy crisis, etc. etc. etc. It's very frightening to look at, but we must.

I hope that whichever candidate "wins", he will accept graciously and then reach a hand in friendship to the other side.

I hope that the supporters of that side will do likewise with their friends, neighbors, and family who may have supported the other candidate.

I hope that whichever candidate "loses", he will concede graciously and then offer to help the other side in any way possible.

I hope that the supporters of that side will do likewise.

I hope that we can put away forever the red state/blue state description of our country. We're not on opposing sides - we all want life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we just have differing ideas on how to get there.

I hope that the value on my home goes back up to a reasonable level, that my 401k regains some of the recent losses, that my health insurance stays the same, that I keep my job and that no one steals my yard sign.

I hope for all of the above for my family, my friends, my co-workers, and my neighbors.

I hope America is on a better path 4 years from now.

And I hope that now I can write about something else besides politics!