The news is good. There is hope.

The news is good. There is hope.

There are many changes that take place during a person’s lifetime, not all of them good. Last night’s news that our government will change was good and welcome.

Growing up in the South, I’m old enough to remember when people of color were not welcome—not permitted—to sit at a lunch counter reserved for whites or use the same restroom or sit forward of the rear door on a bus. Many whites who had what they referred to as “colored help” would not allow them to sit at a table in the kitchen for a meal or even use tableware or dishes that the family used. A young black man or woman could not, would not, dream of occupying the White House. That has changed.

I’m old enough to remember an undeclared and unnecessary war that raged on until close to 60,000 of our young men and young women were dead and someone I loved with all my heart lay dead on the field at the age of 20. Today, we’re fighting a similar war, but I believe that soon our troops will return home to their families and better lives and to protecting the United States honorably.

Last night, the people of the United States did themselves proud—we have elected Senator Barack Obama to the highest office of our land. He is a good man and the leader we need at this time. I have hope that this nation’s wounds will heal and we can return, once again, to being a nation of integrity and honor, goodness and forthrightness.

There is, indeed, hope.