I don’t post much anymore, but I’m still a regular reader and a great admirer of your spunk, wit, smarts. Keep it up, girl!

I wish I could share the memories of your feelings of election night last year, but it was all overshadowed for me by the fact that I spent the day fretting and frantically planning an emergency trip to California (from Florida) – and had airlines, coordinating with relatives, bosses to call to get my classes covered. My dad, who’d had a stroke over five years earlier, suffered a fall (the circumstances of which I prefer not to go into). The brain damage turned out to be massive, as in, think Terry Scheivo. So the whole momentousness of Obama’s victory was not anything I could grasp and feel.

I remember my husband periodically coming in, while I was on the phone with people, giving me the election updates. And when Obama was declared the winner, he came to me with such eagerness, hoping that news would make me feel a little better. I suppose it did, but it was hard to express it at the time.

So feeling a little teary at the reminder it was a year ago Monday my Dad passed away.

Let’s just say I feel a renewed commitment to encourage everyone to discuss with their families and doctors their wishes regarding these types of emergency care situations, and to get their wishes written down!

My dad did not die for lack of health care, but it was only because of medicare that all this did not bankrupt him and my mother. They terminated his other insurance because it had become too expensive to keep. As grateful as I am that medicare exists, my dad’s post-stroke life would have been improved had he had that other insurance. Y’see, turns out you can work at a job all your adult life with great benefits – he was a public school teacher – but upon retirement, while you get a pension, you have to pay for your own insurance. I did not know that (never having had, apparently, a ‘real job’).

And we all know how those costs have gone through the roof. I just found out that to sign up with my husband’s Equity insurance, it would cost us $660 a month! And we might be able to afford that, just, but if the costs keep increasing like they have, we will not be. Period. End of report.

Public Option Now!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, to gravitate back to topic, I’m so happy that at least DC is talking about health care for once. Obama has clearly made a effort to make good on one of the promises that made me want to vote for him. Had McCain won, do you think we’d even be talkin’ about health care/insurance reform now?

Dad did send in his absentee ballot before all this happened and I’m pretty sure he did NOT vote for Obama. But that’s OK. I just thought of my dad and smiled … and that’s all I need.

I will always remember the emotions of that night as Obama was announced victorious. My parents were visiting us from Australia and what I really wanted to do was jump up and down with joy and cry and laugh till I was exhausted =) But my parents tend to not like those kinds of outbursts of emotion. Stiff upper lip and all that.

So I sat in my chair with the biggest smile, holding back tears and just thankful that we averted a McCain-Palin disaster. I thought of you guys here and just was so grateful to have witnessed this moment in history.

I didn’t vote – I couldn’t. I am not an American citizen yet, only a permanent resident. But my husband is – and he voted. He is a lifelong Republican and he voted for Obama. He EARLY voted. He stood in line for 3 hours at 2 different polling places so he could vote for Obama (there was some confusion as to which county we were in and we were told conflicting information). My dear husband, I was so proud. For a man who would sooner read the NFL news than politics, it was a big deal that he voted at all.

One year on, I must admit, I have been disappointed at times. But, as a Christian, I believe that Obama was allowed to become President for a reason. Even if you disagree with me on that, it’s ok =) At the very least we can agree that Obama was and still IS the best man for the hardest job in the world.

I love this country. I’ve lived here for 6 years and it’s grown on me. My husband is a typical American: opinionated, independent, intelligent, proud of his country, loud, sometimes obnoxious but undeniably charismatic =) I hope and pray for even better days ahead for America and her people.

Lastly – stay the course. We may disagree and we may get frustrated, even discouraged. But stay the (progressive) course. Together – this country said NO to hate and division. Let’s not now hate and divide amongst ourselves. Support our President, support the Progressive cause and hold him accountable when it’s needed – most of all, let’s all be patient. It took 8 years to get here, it will take time to reverse the damage.

Sarah Palin and her ilk must not, can not win. Darkness can not be allowed to prevail. America is the Light of the West – it’s been a long time since that light shone this bright. Stay the course, hold the line, we’ll get there.