As we enter the month for giving thanks, Islander columnist Becky Fox Marshall says she’s thankful that the long feast of election politics is done.
My timing is simply lousy. Because of immutable details like deadlines and press runs, I write this two days before the election, and nearly three weeks before Thanksgiving.
And now I don’t even know what time it is, because we reverted back to Standard Time this weekend and I don’t recall which clocks I adjusted.
I do know it’s too late for politicking – and surely we’re all weary from having politics in our faces for months – and too soon for holiday reflections – although surely we’re all excited about stuffing turkey in our faces for a night or two.
Suspended as I am between great hope and deep fear, between Daylight Savings and Standard times, there is no alternative but to consider, regardless of the outcome of the election, that for which I am grateful. So here it goes.
I am grateful for all the people who got me through the last few months – that includes my family and dear friends and coworkers, and especially Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. I’ve spent enough time with these people to consider them family – and I’m going to miss them!
I am grateful for YouTube.com and Huffingtonpost.com, and to my radio, for NPR in particular.
I am grateful for the 57,893 email forwards I received in the last three months alone – including hundreds of thoughtful essays and opinions from a very diverse population of writers and pundits and hundreds of hilarious jokes and cartoons.
I saved them all, because I might need to go back for occasional refreshers.
I am grateful for my neighborhood, in which many of us gathered for every debate (and plan to do so on election night), to share great food and talk politics and became what, in our humble opinion, was The Best Team in Politics, or something akin to that. If you slapped a logo on us and cranked up a theme song, we could take it on the road.
I am grateful that my children, who live in swing states, cared enough to give up their weekends to knock on doors because for the first time in their lives, they feel engaged and hopeful about their futures.
I am grateful that regardless of the outcome Tuesday, we have witnessed a campaign that took the high road and concentrated on what is possible, and not what is slimy and irresponsible.
I am also grateful that I won’t get home from work anymore to find pre-recorded nasty and deceitful voicemails. I am grateful I’ll be able to turn on the television and not hear or see a single Rossi or Gregoire ad – although those darn Viagra ads will still be everywhere.
I am grateful that my roof has a leak, because I’m lucky enough to have a roof.
I’ll be grateful to get on with life. I’m grateful that
regardless of the outcome, I now will have some extra time on my
hands – maybe time to write that book or take up a new hobby.
Perhaps sleep better.
But I’m going to miss my obsession, and the great relief that
laughter proved to be when it came to the stress and suspense.
I have two days to go until Election Day. I have three weeks and four days until Thanksgiving. By then, we may have even more to be grateful for, including being able to figure out what time it really is.
