Can’t Sleep. Can’t Breathe. Can’t Wait.

I’ve been swinging between gleeful excitement and quaking dread for weeks now. Tonight will be like Christmas Eve but who will come down our chimneys? Santa Barry with a big bag filled with happiness or GIANT HOPE-SUCKING BATS?

I have to calm down! Luckily, volunteering has been as calming as yoga or breathing into a paper bag. On Saturday, I participated in a phone bank with my wonderful young friend BH. She turned 18 less than a month ago and is over-the-moon excited about voting in her first election. She brought along a classmate who isn’t old enough to vote yet but very eager to participate as a volunteer. Their energy and cheerful optimism did wonders for my outlook and reminded me that despite much experience to the contrary, I’m an optimist as well.

And optimism is what this campaign has been all about. Hope vs fear. Dr. King’s dream come true vs an endless nightmare. Thoughful and stoic vs impulsive hothead.

I hope people vote with their hearts and heads as well as their wallets. I hope Barry’s Tutu is standing at his side when he’s inaugurated in January. I hope John McCain retires from politics and becomes an awesome and respected stand-up comic. I hope we can win back the trust of the rest of the world. 

I hope.