Breakfast Invocation

Dear Robin and Julia,

I imagine that "change" isn't your favorite concept right now, and I get that.

Some kinds of change, though, are well worthwhile. Remember a couple of months ago, Election Day? I hope you do. I tried to show you that it was important in ways that you would understand. Eating pizza and staying up late to watch the early returns. Getting up even later to see the speeches. Ice cream for breakfast the next day - if that doesn't say "this is a big deal" I don't know what does.

Today is just as big a deal.

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...So, I wrote that some time last week, and intended to expand it into a whole big Thing for Quaker Dave's Alternative Invocation. But you know how life is. It tends to be like this, a lot of the time, right?

Anyway.

The girls know what today is. Not to put too fine a point on it, I've told them it's "one of the most important things that has happened since either of you was born."

We talked (well, okay. It was 7:00 a.m. I talked and they ate their Cheerios) about Barack Obama and how he is different from the man who is president for a couple more hours.

About how, now...today...in 200NINE for cryin' out loud, there are STILL people who think women and girls are somehow less than men and boys. And how there are people who think men should only be allowed to fall in love with women, and women only with men. ("Why, Mommy?" ... "I have no idea, sweetheart. It makes no sense.")

And also about how I'm not going to like everything Barack Obama does. I already don't like everything he's done, but the man has pledged to listen, even when we don't agree. Especially when we don't agree. I can't conceive of a more important thing.

And, the logical question when I said that: "What has he done that you already don't like?" So we touched on Rick Warren and why that was a bad idea. Showing you're listening to the other side is one thing. Giving someone who stands in opposition to basic rights, acceptance and diversity - who, for crying out loud, thinks his personal brand of religion should, quite literally, take over the world - is really not the person to call on and give an international platform at this particular moment.

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So, anyway, girls. All of that.

I'm sure you'll come to understand the importance of today. Hopefully with the help of some creatively deployed pizza, ice cream and after-the-fact YouTube coverage, I can help you remember the day itself as well.

See you after work.

Love,
Mommy