November 5th 2008—Poor boys and pilgrims and families……we all will be received in Graceland.
As I set off bound for New Orleans I popped in one of my favorite traveling CDs. My caveat is that I am a huge hip-hop head, a hard core reggae (the non-homophobic variety) fan, and a big follower of Motown with Sam Cook being my all time favorite. That being said, I have a soft spot for Simon and Garfunkel and Paul Simon as a solo artist! J Anyway so I was listening to my “Graceland” CD and it had just the right lyrics to match the moment and my mood. The first song was, “These are days of miracle and wonder” and it felt so suited to the spirit of the nation and indeed the world! So I belted the words as I drove down the road. The next song was the title track, “Graceland” which, like many of Paul Simon’s songs, has rather whimsical prose. One of the lines was “Poor boys and pilgrims and families, and we’re all going to Graceland.” And it goes on to say, “I have reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland.” This inclusive message was aptly resonant with Obama’s big tent message of diversity, inclusion and unity. So I felt almost giddy.
(As a caveat, I’m thinking that positive comments about the confirmed next administration are allowed for this non-partisan blog spot for this campaign because I’m not lobbying for one candidate or another, I’m talking about our nation’s President-Elect, right?)
As I continued with my 12 hour journey there was a sense of community with almost everyone with whom I interacted. There was the African American woman at the rest stop coffee shop from whom I bought my biscotti. As she was processing my change, she glanced around quickly to make sure she was far enough from her colleague, leaned forward, and softly chanted, OBAMA! OBAMA!. I smiled and nodded vigorously and softly replied, “Yes, we can!” One tollbooth operator in Northern Florida was sporting a Caribbean style shirt and beaming smile. I asked him how he was doing and he replied in a Caribbean accent (maybe my native Jamaican, but sometimes it’s hard to tell.), “This is the day that the Lord hath made. I shall rejoice and be glad in Him!” and it was very clear, from his expression of affinity and joint celebration, to what he was referring. J Finally, at yet another tollbooth on the Florida turnpike a Latino brother greeted me and I asked him how he was doing. He cheerily replied, “I’m good! Very, very good! Yes! We! Can!”
It has been wonderful day to experience such a keen since of unity within diversity.
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