A Change

So much whirls within my heart and head this morning. Yesterday was a momentous, world-changing day on several fronts: personal, communal, national.

I've been listening to Sam Cooke this morning, spurred on by a the song that came fresh upon me while watching the scene in Grant Park as thousands gathered to watch Barack Obama accept the presidency of the United States of America. The song: A Change is Gonna Come.

That "change" means several things on several levels. But one of the clear changes I witnessed was the shift from America as a white, Anglo-saxon, Protestant people to America as a multi-ethnic, multi-faith people. Actually, I think the idea of our WASP identity has been a myth we've tried to uphold for the last several decades. But, through the power of television, there was no doubt last night. You could see it in the two speeches delivered by John McCain and Obama.

McCain's speech - delivered in Arizona - was in front of a relatively small crowd of people that looked ... well, like me ... and not much different than a scene from an episode of Andy Griffith. Pan to the crowd gathered at Grant Park: diverse on almost perceivable level.

Perhaps this was the bias granted by the medium of television. But, I imagine that standing in both places would have generated the same realization.

The will of the people has been heard ... and the diversity of the people has been seen.

Wes