A little letter to America....
Do you know, I fell in love with you many years ago even before setting foot on your land.
At that time, I was a student in
Writing my BA paper on Faulkner's Light in August, I got lucky enough to study one year as a graduate student at the
I was so thrilled…At last, I would meet you ! at last I would set foot on your land…
Do you know, when I landed in New York for the first time in my life, it all seemed familiar already : the yellow cabs, the crazy traffic...You showed it to me already in your movies.
The day of my departure, I was in tears and my friends told me: "you can’t leave ….you're an American now !”. My sweet friends…
Do you know, the day I left I promised you secretly : “I’ll come back..you can be sure of that”.
Today is YOUR day…
And I can't help thinking of your past and of the future which awaits you.
Could Booker T.Washington - born of an enslaved woman - who wrote Up from Slavery in 1901 and was the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute, imagine this wonderful thing happened ?
I was so proud of your people who stood in line for hours, hoping to make a dream come true...
Oh I know…the dream has come true and now the tough job begins.
The whole world has its eyes on you. How are you going to deal with Irak and Afghanistan ? And first, how are you going to deal with your own problems?
Like your new president said, you’ll “have to roll up your sleeves and start repairing the roof".
I’m so sure you will…
pic: campus of UVA - Charlottesville
Comments
ps. Falkner- wrote my paper on him as well...
Three years ago, on the day when hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, my partner and I were on our way to Vienna to be filmed for a Canadian documentary for Mozart's 250th birthday. When we arrived, we sensed the anti-American sentiment so strongly that we allowed the Austrians we encountered to believe that we were Canadian like most of the film crew.
Never again will I have to pretend that I'm not American. I can hold my head high and declare with pride that I am indeed and American and that I helped elect Barack Obama as our 44th President. And I pledge to you, the citizens of the World that I will roll up my sleeves and work with our new president to right the wrongs of the previous administration(s), help fix our own problems, and reach out to the world in peace and unity.
Pray for us as we face the daunting task before us.
It was such an emotional night.
I cried and cried.
Can't stop crying in fact.
There was a super interview with Maya Angelou on CBS this morning.
Things are going to get better!
Your post reminds me of all the hope that comes along with having Barack Obama as our new president elect.
This is just the beginning, what a long road this will be for him to help us along the way to a healing point.
You should see the smiles and expressions on the children's faces in my neighborhood. It starts and home, I know. But could it possibly be, that all these children need in ghettos are a small boost of hope to head them in the right direction. Somebody who comes from the same walk of life, someone who never gave up. This is a beautiful thought.
I hope one day you do come to America again, so I can find you and give you the hug and kiss I have wanted to give you, since we connected.
: ) I know all of the people who weren't allowed to vote- because of the color of their skin who are no longer with us, are smiling in heaven.
So much love to you, sis.
Thank you!
I didn't know you were, like me, a lover of William Faulkner. The Sound And The Fury is my own favorite.
UVA looks gorgeous!
Greetings from London.
Thank you for believing in us. It's been incredibly hard for those of us here, feeling like we've been living a waking nightmare for many years. Your letter is just one more instance of goodness that will keep us buoyed and ready to move forward, as we take these bold steps into the future. We have a long way to go, but now I think a lot of us believe that Yes We Can!
Hope lives...
xoxo
i want so much to say something about your time in new york amongst the crowds and yellow cabs. and too about your time in the beautiful and incredibly complicated south.
and so tempting to delve into your university studies, all that you have learned and absorbed in the most beautiful way.
your care and love for these united states...
it may not look like it from what i have typed here, but words escape me now as they have all day.
i just walked around manhattan today as if all the brothers and sisters of the world were hugging me and i was hugging them right back...
but somehow across this cyber space i feel as if you and i and your dear readers have a special connection.
with that in mind, please...
accept my deepest appreciation for who you are and what we share and this journey and moment in time that we share as citizens of our global village...
i am told today that Barack means blessings in arabic...
blessings to you dear Lala!
I stayed up all night to see the results. Happy was I !!
Gina from Germany
http://www.ginanews05.blogspot.com/
It's soo good to say ADIEU to Bush too..!
Things can only get better and it
couldn't have happened at a better time..:)
Happy day to you from Edward and myself!
Beautiful!!!!
Here(Argentina) everybody mixes up and this is the thing I love most about my country.
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful sentiments about our new president Barack Obama and the hope and inspiration he has given to millions of people across the world. I have never been more proud of my nationality. I have so much pride and hope in my heart, sometimes I feel like it's going to burst! We are ready to stand by his side and fight for what this country was founded on. This is my first time on your site and I find it very fascinating! I will visit often.
Besos from Chicago!