I also love Obama’s offering of hope. I agree—that America can and should offer the world more.

But, beyond what this country should offer the world, I also think that America can BE more—for its citizens. That “wee the people” can and should be more, for each other. Maybe that distinction is just a matter of semantics, but it feels like an important one.

What I am becoming keenly aware of these days is that hope—my hope—requires movement from me. And, if I hope for my country, that will require something of me. As to what this practically and specifically will look like for me, I’m not sure yet. But, I caucused for the first time in my life this year, and I loved that experience.

I know that a central criticism of Obama, as evidenced in Palin’s speech last night, is that he is primarily narcissistic—I think she said something like, “What will he do when he’s done parting the waters?” And, of course, that is the fear—that he believes that he is the one who can exact all of this change.

But, I don’t know if that’s the case. With words like “We are the change we seek,” and the question, “What if we are the ones we’ve been waiting for?” it seems like Obama is acknowledging that hope requires movement—from all of us.

I don’t know if it can be helped, that some are drawn to a charismatic figure with the idea that maybe he or she is the One who will rescue me/us. And, out of that conclusion, they then give power away to that person— but I think it’s a kind of power and agency that should never be given to another. And, yes, that is scary as hell.

I think it is important to pay attention to what Obama, or anyone for that matter, does with that kind of power.

As for me, I am currently thankful for Obama’s voice. He is challenging me to put feet to my hope. Right now, I feel more empowered than overpowered in the political process, which is a first for me.

I agree with a lot of what you said (nice setup, huh? :)), but where my fear takes over is the nature at which hope is being offered by Obama, perhaps it’s my own fear of corporate hope, or hope by/through someone I don’t know. In a therapist relationship, we engage over interpersonal styles of relating, thus allowing for us to be able to work/talk through the offering and meaning of hope. What scares me is that the US in general has a hard enough time sticking with anything around adversity, and so what happens when Obama’s hope/change message isn’t followed through? He won’t be able to accomplish all that he’s promising, and there will be little to no ability for the US to work through this failure outside of becoming more angry than we already are. Which, I suppose, is a good thing for us as therapists because there will be a ripe conversation centered around a lot of splitting that will occur. But ultimately, when you mess with hope, you’re messing with a lot.

The flip side to this is what if Obama really does deliver on most of what he says. What is going to happen then? If you or I think he has a cult-like following now, hu wa (in my best Al Pacino “Scent of a Woman” voice) look out. This guy could do some big time stuff in the world. And I’m all for that, if, and it’s a big if, he’s doing change a result of theologically and philosophically sound reasoning and not for his own glory. I just can’t see someone giving so much hope to people that he/she remains unaffected by the ability to give/grant something like this at will. And perhaps this is what my fear is all about, my distrust of people in general … AND (ha! it’s both/and …. hu wa!) it feels bigger than just my fear.