FAMILY REUNION

Cheney & Obama cartoon "Family Reunion", originally uploaded by newbreen.

I've spent the day talking on the phone with family and friends. We've been discussing the candidates, the issues, and our thoughts on America's future. It's been an energetic day spent in lively conversation.

The wait at my voting station was long, but the mood there was cheerful. I saw smiling faces of old friends and neighbors who I haven't seen in a while, and I managed to meet some new folks there, too. The long line gave me time to strike up conversations and time to reflect on the part I played as a voting citizen on this historic election day.

I'll bet if you looked at the statistics from today, you'd see that the call volume went way up. I know I wasn't the only one calling his family and friends. I think you'd also find that record-making numbers turned up at the polls and waited for record-breaking lengths of time. If my experience was common, that means that America stepped away from her other favorite pastimes and and joined her neighbors to share in the most important one - the democratic process.

Obama made a lot of campaign promises about uniting the country. I'm not sure if I should really give him the credit, but this election day I did feel more connected with my family, friends, and community.