Transformation

FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE "ON THE SAME PAGE" WITH OUR FRIENDS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE SMART, STRONG, AND POLITICALLY EXPERIENCED HILLARY CLINTON!

NOW, Sarah's Transformation--

Our work for the campaign to elect Barack Obama as our next President, and his leadership of this movement for CHANGE have been transformative in many ways for Sarah, a few of which are described, below.

1) I have always tried to be a kind and considerate person, but I didn't fully understand that, in my rush and anxiety to accomplish all that I try to do, sometimes my body language communicated a different message. One day early in the campaign I was in a storefront business, I was irritated by a company policy that inconvenienced me, and I happened to be wearing an Obama button. I didn't share my frustrations verbally, but my "nonverbal messages" must have illustrated my impatience, as the clerk gently suggested that I should try to present a more pleasant image when I was representing a candidate. I was taken aback but thanked her for the input, as I would never have known, otherwise, how I appeared to others when I was irritated in this manner. I learned to try to follow the example of Barack Obama, whether or not I am wearing Obama gear--to be a patient and attentive listener, to put myself in the other person's position, to be able to understand different perspectives of a single situation, to be confident, humble, and calm, and to communicate kindness and empathy. I HAVE BECOME A KINDER AND MORE PLEASANT PERSON.

2) I have been a "strong Democrat" all my life, voting for Democrats in every single election, but the actual work of politics seemed, from my vantage point, like nothing with which I would want to be closely associated...it seemed negative and self-serving. Through my work on the Obama campaign, I've learned that there are seasoned politicians, as well as people who are new to this level of involvement, who are very ethical and conscientious people sacrificing personal time and resources in their efforts to improve their neighborhoods, communities, states, the environment, and so forth. Democrats working in politics at the local level are generally hard-working middle class people, and the process seems to be designed to be quite democratic. Thank you to those who have made improvements to help the party be more inclusive and more democratic. I saw this democratic process at work at the state Democratic Convention, where delegates elected at their local levels seemed to vote for who they believed were the best qualified candidates, sometimes bucking what the political "establishment" suggested. Thanks in advance to those who will continue to make reforms, as needed.

I HAVE BECOME A MORE ACTIVELY ENGAGED PERSON, with regard to my belief that politics can be a positive force for change, and my behavior has reflected my desire to have a positive impact. My adult daughter says I've become obsessed, but I find that this passion for influencing change via the political process has been a good, energizing thing.

3) I have been amazed to learn, via this campaign, that, despite corporate control of the media and the inertia which could result from believing that we are powerless to change the status quo, the majority of Americans seem to be much smarter and more forward-thinking than they have been given credit for, and much more objective than I expected. Many of them are even willing to take action to improve the quality of life for us all.

I had, in my adult years, become a worrier. The seeds of this cautious approach to life probably originated in my parents' concerns for my safety, and this approach was fed by my many years of experience as a social worker--I had seen that almost anything that could go wrong in the development of a human being, had.

In addition, I had, undoubtedly, become a victim of the many negative messages about human nature and the perils that lurk at every turn, as promoted by those who profit from this culture of fear and isolation.

However, my enthusiasm to help people get to know Barack Obama motivated me to overcome many of my anxieties, reservations, and innate shyness. On my first out-of-state canvass, I was a co-conspirator with Josh Reed in breaking the rules of canvassing by going door-to-door all by myself, in a neighborhood in Des Moines. Only Josh, his wife, Lina, and I made that trip. At first, I felt like I was on another planet. But my confidence and sense of security grew as I knocked on door after door, finding that most people were polite and many were even welcoming, including those who did not support Barack.

I've made thousands of calls to people in several states (on behalf of Obama and also for myself and my "twin," in our quests to become delegates to the national convention), canvassed in 5 states, talked to journalists and to groups, and gotten to know dozens more people in my own neighborhood and across the state, all as a part of this MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE.

My efforts to improve the quality of life for all have led to a change within me.

This movement for change has helped me appreciate the power of one person to make a difference. Multiply my enthusiasm (and that of my "twin") times hundreds of thousands of people like us--and you will find the origins of the change. The confluence of events in history with the emergence of Barack Obama's leadership has created the opportunity of a lifetime...not just the lifetime of an individual, but of a nation. Yes, we can deliver what our forefathers framed out for us...we are doing it in a way that is even more democratic than they imagined. Senator Obama, the Constitutional Law Professor, knows that our rights and freedoms outlined centuries ago continue to serve us well...and now, that means ALL of US!

MY PARTICIPATION IN THIS MOVEMENT HAS MADE ME A MORE CONFIDENT AND OPTIMISTIC PERSON.