I Want to Remember This Feeling

I vaguely remember the feeling I had when Bill Clinton won his first presidential election. I was still in high school and stayed up late watching the returns come in. I was excited, electrified, engaged. I was an ardent Clinton supporter for many years, a real true believer. As I've said many times there is no fall like the fall of a true believer. So while I remember vaguely that feeling of hope and possibility when Clinton was first elected what I remember most vividly is being so incredibly disappointed in him.

I am filled now with hope for an Obama presidency. I am filled with excitement at the possibilities his leadership of our country would present. I am more engaged and connected to the political process than I've been in going on ten years. I don't want this feeling to someday be vague. No matter what happens with Obama, whether he fails to be the Democratic nominee, whether he wins the general election, whether he is a great president or only a passing one,  I want to remember this feeling. I want to remember being optimistic for our country and the direction we can move in. I want to remember feeling excited about the political process and my generation's role in it instead of detached.

So today I placed an order for "Change" by Shepard Fairey. The poster cost me a $70 donation to the Obama campaign, pretty hefty for a poster but a very fair price for an inspiring work of art and contributing to the candidate I'm passionate about. Again, no matter what happens, in 15 years I want to look at this poster on my office wall (I imagine always having it in my office) and remember this feeling of hope and possibility. Hopefully it won't be a reminder of what could have been but instead the reminder of the way things felt at the beginning of a major positive and progressive movement in this country.