Wow....what a trip.
I made it up there in time to get tickets before they were all taken for the Columbia event but not in time for the Orangeburg event. I figure that was ok at least I got to see him. I should not be greedy. :)
What struck me about the event was how the people who attended were a cross section sample of America....50/50 black and white......old and young...Prada shopers and Wal-Mart shopers.
I was standing by a very talkitive lady that had a habit of slapping my arm when she was making a point (my arm was slapped alot...but I found it sweet)
I was positioned infront of a lady who was older and shorter than myself....so I switched with her so she could see better(she was close enough to shake his hand and say hi at the end...but I could not be mad when I saw how happy she was after)
There was a mother who held her daughter on her shoulders so she could hold up a sign standing on the other side of me. (she made a point of letting her down so those in back could see)
Last but not least there was this little frail woman with long gray hair pulled in a pony tail....she caught my interest after Obama started speaking. She was so focused on what he was saying and when he said some inspiring thing she would look around trying to make eye contact with anyone....just to see that they were hearing the same thing and we were in this together a team and she was not alone in her excitement. I know this lady came by herself....I did not want her to feel like she was alone I looked at her and smiled in agreement often. Afterward I was pulled into a conversation with the lady who brused my arm slightly....and when I turned around to introduce myself to that frail lady who came alone she was gone. I may not know her name but I made a connection.
I think we miss that in America.....connections. We are so busy with our own lives and doing our own things that we forget we are not alone. The world is bigger than our own group of family and friends.
I guess what I am saying is I thought I was going to the rally because I wanted to see Sen. Obama but in reality anyone can watch him speak the words on TV or the internet. I discoverd that going is importaint because of the connections that you feel with others who dare hope that we can see a change in goverment, that we will be able to heal from the inside out as a country.
I got there at 2:00 and stood in line with others till the doors opened at 4:30 I stood in the crowd with others till Obama started speaking at 6:00 I stood in awe and screaming my agreement and support with others till he exited around 7:00 I went to my car at the end alone but with others in my heart.
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