Expectations and Disappointment

Living comes with expectations and disappointment. I have always been aware of these two constants in mine. I often feel as though people have different expectations of me than they have of themselves. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, so that is not what I am talking about. I have this ability to take a lot of crap from those closest to me before I react. In many of these cases it is those people who are the most sensitive who are unable to meet my expectations. My feelings always seem to get hurt without them realizing it. It is always somewhat amazing to me. I have even brought it up to some of those involved and yet it persists. I guess what makes it difficult is, like I said, it takes me a while to get to my breaking point. 

Having said all of this, I am disappointed. I try to do for the people in my life. I try to remember we all are different and that is what makes life interesting and I do take ownership of preferring to deal with other people's problems rather than my own. I guess I do need less help day to day from others, but that does not mean I do not have feelings or expectations and sometimes if I am actually asking to be listened to and needing something from the people in my life it would be nice for them to come through. It would also be nice on occasion for people to acknowledge my existence and my feelings.

All of this is vague, but currently that is the best I can do.

Time to get over it and move on

I have spent the better of two days aggravating myself about Sarah Palin. And now I am realizing I need to move on. The Conservative Republican Machine is again moving us away from the real issues -- Bringing our troops home, improving our relationships abroad, our tanking economy and our healthcare crisis. Obama took the high rode today and I need to follow that example. It is exhausting to feel so disgusted by people in this country, especially when you "know" you are on the right side of history. 

I watched Stop-Loss tonight and am reminded of standing up and fighting for what is truly important -- honor, freedom, truth, justice and the pursuit of happiness. As our extremely young men and women fight far from home, we must all fight to preserve our country at home. We need to stand up for them. We need to make sure when they come home they have the support of grateful nation complete with healthcare, student loans, home loans, mental health care as well as love, compassion and gratitude. In order for that to happen we need to use our hard earned right. We need to vote and speak out and write our legislatures and support our military families, our poor, our distressed. We need to be the best we can be. We all know Americans are deeply charitable and caring of one another in times of hardship. We need to be that way each and every day to all we meet.

We the people of the United States of America are our greatest strength and our greatest source of resources. We can change our world, the world of a nation, the world of our children and the world as a whole. We just need to reach beyond our fear of what we don't understand and do the right thing. One thing at a time.

The Day After

I am so confused today. I woke up knowing McCain would announce his running mate. And so it began. Who is Sarah Palin?  Everybody seemed to be searching her name. The information was unreal. Regarding her stance on issues I was in shock. First, most issues were blank. Most important foreign policy. And then there was more shock. She does not wish to protect a woman's right to choose. She believes in her state's constitutional amendment which bans same sex marriage. There were images of her with machine guns and wearing fur. She supports drilling Alaska for every drop of oil. She was the mayor of a town with less than 8000 people and she has been the governor for just a bit longer than a year. There is a legislative inquiry into her firing of a state officer. Who is she and why is this the choice. The crazy media thinks this is a way of swaying Hillary Clinton voters to the McCain camp?  Has the world gone topsy turvy. Those of us who supported Hillary Clinton supported her because we believed what she believed. Our interests are Hillary's interests. She was an educated, experience, well spoken and respected member of America. Sarah Palin with her five children, commercial fisherman, and 3 delegates is not any one I would vote for, whether or not she is a woman is not the important element. She does not have women best interests. She has no experience and it is insulting to put her in the same class as Hillary Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, or Barack Obama for that matter. It is really an alternate universe where this woman could be vice president. But she will do what McCain needs, she will encourage the ultra conservative religious right republicans.  So, the answer to this disgusting choice is for all of us to vote for Barack Obama. We must stand up, line up, wait in lines, vote and make sure our votes are counted. It is the only way America will have a chance to be what we know it can be.  YES WE CAN!

It's been a long road

In so many ways this election year has been a long road. For me, it started with great hope and promise in the form of Hillary Clinton. I was told as a little girl that even I could be president and for the first time in my 43 years I believed that was a truth to behold. I was so grateful to have my decision made. I knew this woman's story and I connected on so many levels. I cried the day I voted in the primary. My grandmother died just before the primary and did not have the opportunity to see a woman on the ballot with a real chance of winning. My grandmother was born before women had the right to vote. So, the long primary season didn't end exactly as I had wished, but all along it was so good to see both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as the two front runners. In both their was so much hope and historical significance. They were both people of the people and their gender and race does not define them. They have given all of themselves to fight the right wing republican machine. It was a win win situation. 

This week has been exhausting as everyone showed up to the convention with their A game. Hillary, Al, Bill, Joe and Barack; You have given us hope and pride in our country again and I am looking forward to the last few weeks to victory.