No More Dark Butterflies

A little over four years ago I sat in a small room in St.Louis, Missouri watching the Democratic Convention with a friend. I heard the most impressive young man I had heard in ages, maybe ever, speak that night and I said he would make a good president. I met that same man when he was going around Illinois speaking to people on farms and in drug store parking lots. I voted for him to be my senator.

About the same time I was working very hard for the next presidential election, knocking on doors, telephoning people, leaving pamphlets, connecting in any way I could to be sure our country did not suffer the same ignominious mistakes of the previous four years. In the end I could not believe people made the same mistake twice, this time knowing exactly what they were getting. I was more disillusioned than I ever let on. How can you help people who do not see, or listen, or understand? I saw no hope for our country then and as time went on, we sank lower and lower until we were so far removed from the fundamental truth and integrity our nation was founded on that I was not sure it was redeemable. And the worst part was that the regime in office no longer even tried to hide it.

Today we elected a new president, a man who may not work miracles, but who knows? He is a man who does not come from American aristocracy. He comes from people like us and I will stake my life on the fact that he will do his very best to turn our country around. He will stand before God and his country and not speak out of the back of his head. He will look us in the eye without stuttering over lies. He will reach out with hands wanting to pick us up and carry us over the bumps in the road, but most importantly he will always walk beside us. There will be no more looking down on the poor down trodden masses and making superfluous statements that fly like dark butterflies over dying lights.

There may be pruning and toiling until it hurts, but now we have a chance and I am going to do whatever I can to help.