The night.

I want to recap for you, Geneseo, and perhaps for others what occurred in our little corner of the world the night that Mr. Obama was elected the 44^th president of these United States. And to do so I will skip forward until after we – friends gathered around a tv in a living room of an old yellow house on Center St. – had just finished our personal celebrations, received stunned/hopeful/amazed texts from teary loved ones, and heard the first words from the soon-to-be presiding President.

We stood and stretched and looked at each other and smiled at one another and took pots and pans and old utensils from their worn out shelves, we were using these tools for a different purpose tonight. The night was unusually warm and sweet…we looked to campus and held our ears aloft for any sound of jubilation. We scampered down to campus and looked to unite with others who shared our sentiments – our beliefs, our hopes and predictions of what was to come. We just wanted to be near those of our generation who for the first time felt alive, empowered, ecstatic. But we found no-one.

And so our victory-drums began their revelry, and we marched, those who were scurrying to the library, or coming back tired-eyed, apathetic, unengaged, gave us stares – they were incredulous, annoyed (though there weren’t many of those). Finally, we had something to celebrate, something besides the fact that our tvs had nothing interesting on – our computers were not shut off but we were out – and where was everyone else? Disappointed we continued to walk – and I am glad we did. It wasn’t that long until we found others, it wasn’t that long until the spirit of youth showed us once again the power that hope can bring, the joy, the unity.

We marched, we chanted, and soon acquired a host. Those who, for their own reasons, chose not to join us, waved from their windows, there must have been about two-hundred people there, but no matter, there were enough so that our voices did not die on the winds of Geneseo, were not scattered to the valley – but rose above. And for the very first time, I felt myself connected with others around the country, around the globe. It was the most peculiar nights of my life and henceforth it shall be the gauge of my joy, and of my generations’ expectations. We remain vigilant, we remain determined and above all we remain united in hope.