Bittersweet

Last night was one of those brief shiny moments when we actually get the majority of people to do the right thing but much as I will always treasure the moment of pure joy I was able to experience, today it is once again tempered by reality.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still more pleased than I can adequately express that we've elected Barack Obama. If I were to live another half a century I sincerely doubt that I would have the opportunity to cast a more important vote and if I never did a single other thing in my entire life I would call it all still worth it for no other reason than I was alive to cast that vote. (Yes, it was that important to me).

But...there's always a but isn't there....aside from all of yesterdays problems still being very much with us, a simple glance at other election results is a cold reminder of how far we still have to go.

Anyone mistakenly believing that America has suddenly become a land filled with enlightened human beings should take a deep breath, that has not happened. We did just take a giant step and it is a good start but 60 million of us did not miraculously embrace a vision for a greater future. More likely about 20 million of us did, another 20 million just decided the "other guy" was worse and probably another 20 million looked at their wallets and bank balances and took the plunge. I don't know what the actual numbers for those categories are and there is no way to know for certain but I'm confident they more accurately depict what just happened than the more romantic version that would have us believe 60 million Americans had a dream.

That we have progressed enough to have made last night possible is a beautiful thing and in no way to be discounted but this is no time to rest. Take a few moments to remember the millions who still haven't been invited to the party. Just saying.