Farewell to the Obamas

Image credit

With all certainty, there are others out there who can write about Obama’s farewell address much better than I can. They capture the feeling of what it means to say good-bye and what his presidency meant with intelligence (New York times editorial), thoughtfulness/diverse reflection (a muslim-american PhD candidate), and grace (a former republican’s first daughter’s final takes).  I salute them, as there are so many to link to; I share in the collective farewell and aloha to our amazing first family. 

I loved that at the end of the speech, President Obama showed love and grace for all the people closest to him, especially to Michelle Obama and his daughters.  That he said for all the world to hear, what makes him the proudest of all that he’s done in his life is being Sasha’s and Malia’s dad, made my heart swell into the size of a submarine.  Just pure love, grace, joy.  That’s what I strive for in taking care of my own two daughters.

I had a conversation with DD1 about what it meant when Hillary Clinton didn’t win the election.  In simple terms, she couldn’t understand how someone so mean-spirited and who is a bully could be elected to the highest nation of the office, and I agreed with her.  I told her it was our right as citizens in this country to disagree with the President, and that no matter what, it’s okay to stand up for what we believe in and for the people we love.

I may have said that to her over and over again.  I may have said it so much, that the last time I said it, she rolled her eyes, and said “I KNOW, mom.”  LOL. 

We are lucky to live in our blue bubble floating in a red sea, where hate crimes and harassment that increased since the election have happened outside of our borders.  She rolls her eyes, because here, in her eyes, she doesn’t have to “stand up” in the way others have had to, are mobilizing to do so now.

But that doesn’t mean I won’t continue to do my best to teach her.  To help her listen to people’s words, give them a chance, and then judge that person’s character by their actions.  Do their words match their actions?  Do they stand up for fairness?  Do they stand up for equality?  And maybe it’s difficult to leap from our blue bubble to a wider understanding of how the world works, something that I don’t want to rush her into, it does mean we’ll be participating in the Women’s March on Washington this Saturday.  When DD1 learned about it, she told me she wanted to go.  And I’m bringing along DD2, who may be too young to understand, but one day, hopefully, this memory will be one that lasts. 

I’ve heard a rumor there will be 8,000 marchers in our blue bubble—crossing fingers for more!  I’m contemplating our protest sign, and I think it’s one that’s in line with my prayer for 2017 that I post last month.  Choose Love.  (May my anxiety and worries about life, coparenting, the world be at least channeled into something useful--that won't be on my sign, however, lol).

Choose Love.

May love win.