A Moving Experience

 

These are images of a 111 year old woman who arrived to help out with the local Obama campaign yesterday.  A friend who was present sent them, along with this message:

TODAY WHEN I WENT TO THE OBAMA HEADQUARTERS TO DO DATA ENTRY  I ENCOUNTERED A FAMILY ENTERING THE HEADQUARTERS AT THE SAME TIME AS I DID.  I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE MANY GENERATIONS TOGETHER BUT I WAS UNPREPARED FOR THIS 111 YEAR OLD (NOT A TYPO) WOMAN WHO CAME TO MAKE CALLS FOR OBAMA.  SHE CARRIED WITH HER THE BOOK "THE AUDACITY OF HOPE"...  YOU CAN SEE HER YOUNGEST GREAT GREAT GRANDSON NEXT TO HER WHO HAS JUST TURNED 18 AND WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR OBAMA...  SHE WAS BORN IN  1897 WHEN WILLIAM MCKINLEY WAS PRESIDENT.  IT WAS VERY MOVING AND I JUST HAD TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.

I certainly have been, and continue to be, critical of Obama's stance on many issues.  However, this reminded me that whatever my political opinions, this election means a great deal in the lives of people for whom I couldn't even begin to speak.  It highlighted facets of experience and meaning about which I can not presume to know, and moved me more than any 30-minute infomercial, well-practiced speech, or scripted debate.  Quite beautiful.