This entry was posted November 7th, 2008 and has 6 comments.
My grandmother, Mary Smiraglia, passed away this Wednesday at the age of 85 after a bout with liver cancer. Each of the grandchildren were asked to write a letter to or about her. This is mine.
From my earliest memories, my grandparent’s house was always filled with what seemed like a thousand people. Whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just someone’s birthday, my entire huge family was always there. I looked forward to these events so much because I knew how fun they would be.
As a kid, I thought everyone had a large family that they were really close with. The older I got, the more I realized that this was something very special and a thing to be cherished. Despite having 7 children, 18 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren, my grandmother always made time for each of us. I remember her coming to my elementary school for ‘grandparents’ day’ and bragging about having 18 grandchildren and how amazing they all were. They would ask all of the grandparents to stay standing until their number of grandchildren was called. My grandmother was always the last one standing.
Sometimes you don’t understand how strong a person is until they have to deal with tragedy. My grandfather passed away rather suddenly when I was 10-years-old. This was a very tough time for my family and something that I know devastated my grandmother. Some people would have been defeated by the loss of their true love, what must have been an overwhelming experience. My grandmother, however, dealt with the loss by bringing the family even closer together.
This entry was posted November 5th, 2008 and has 1 comment.
November 4, 2008 was a historic day in America. It was a day that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. Forty-five years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, the United States of America has elected Barack Obama, our first African American president. This is a major accomplishment and one for which I feel extreme pride.
We also have many other things to celebrate today. A huge number of new voters came out yesterday. People who previously couldn’t care less about politics were bursting with pride and passion for this candidate and becoming involved in the political process. Countries around the world are looking at America once again as a place where anyone can rise to the top.
President-Elect Barack Obama’s acceptance speech last night was absolutely amazing. He spoke with much honor, thankfulness and hope. One of the most powerful moments came when he told the story of the 106-year-old Ann Nixon Cooper who voted yesterday. He talked of all that America has accomplished in the last 100 years and all that we hope to accomplish in the next century.
This entry was posted November 4th, 2008 and has no nomments.
I am proud to have exercised my right as an American citizen and voted this morning. I arrived at my polling location at 7:10 am to find a line of approximately 200 people already there. This is much larger than the line I stood in during the 2004 election, maybe even twice the size.
I have spent a lot of time researching the candidates, watching debates, and talking with people on both sides. There are so many huge issues to deal with in America and around the world. From the economy, to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to what I believe is the most critical issue, energy independence, and many more. With all of these issues to consider, the decision for me came down to who I believe is best equipped to lead the United States in the right direction.
For these reasons, this morning I cast my vote for Barack Obama. I believe Mr. Obama has the vision and leadership ability to unite our country and move it in the right direction.
We should not, however, expect immediate change. The problems with the US and global economies were not created overnight and will take time to correct. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will need to be handled properly in order to ensure victory and peace in those countries after we leave. And the issue of energy independence needs a well thought-out, long-term solution.
While we cannot expect immediate change, what we can expect with Barack Obama is a president of high integrity who will motivate and inspire Americans to reach for something better. We can expect a president who looks out for the middle class and not the most wealthy Americans. And we can expect a president who deeply cares about our country and will bring in the best team possible to help get America back on track.
Regardless of who you are voting for today, I encourage you to get to the polls and make your voice heard. We all have a chance to be a part of history today and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
