Let Your Smile Be Your Umbrella . . .

I am absolutely convinced that there is just no pleasing some people.
No matter what your political leanings, no matter what your personal feelings for our new—or old—president, January 20, 2009 was a momentous and genuine Feel-Good day.
That is, if you were open enough to embrace it.
But some people just refuse to put on their happy faces. And even if you didn’t vote for the guy, you’d have to be pretty apathetic not to have had a smile in your heart that day.
And of course, I’m going to tell you why—if you’re not in the frame of mind to figure it out yourself.
*This part of my blog is dedicated to those Oscar the Grouch folks who wrote into the newspapers across the country complaining how naïve and silly millions of us were for having ourselves such a good old time of it all last Tuesday. . . .
So let me give you—all you high-and-mighties (and poor sports to boot)—another way of looking at it.
September 11, 2001: Remember how you felt that fall day? The fear, the anxiety, the hopelessness? Remember the visual images you saw over and over on our TV screen, in your newspapers? Remember the horrible, heartbreaking sadness of it all?
January 20, 2009: Did you happen to notice that massive crowd throughout the National Mall this day? All those people shivering—but not leaving their spot—this frigid winter day? Did you see those faces? Happy faces. Hopeful faces. Tears-full-of-joy streaming down those faces . . . Did you not hear that those faces accumulated to 1.8 million people? All generations. All sizes. All colors. All standing together—United—they stood. Smiling embracing, cheering.
Isn’t that what we Americans have been pining for, always hoped for?
And we got it! Even if just for a day. We got it.
And you poor sniveling, dooms-day, glass-always-half-empty folks lost the opportunity to bask in it. Too bad. It felt really, really good. . . .
Oh, and by the way, did you also hear there was not one arrest in that mall that day? Not. One. Arrest.
Wow, not even Woodstock can boast that.
But no, some people just couldn’t let it be. Some people just refuse to let go of their depressing cynicism.
Here’s one example:
A guy wrote to the Plain Dealer, calling this historic day of peace and harmony simply a “media-produced charade” . . . a “scam foisted on us by a bunch of bought-and-sold media clowns who long ago gave up their badge of integrity so they could fit comfortably in the pockets of liberals.” Sheesh.
Someone, please take away that man’s Thesaurus and buy him a chill pill.
I’d like to take that guy’s fancy rhetoric and stick it in that dark cave he calls his life.
I still consider myself an independent, but I’m sooo tired of hearing the liberal mantra. So while I’m thinking of it, before someone takes away said thesaurus, this guy should look up the word, liberal, where he would read: “One who favors progress.” “Free-thinking.” (Which right there would blow that man’s assumption that liberal “media clowns” can be so easily persuaded). Oh, and let us not forget that liberal is part of LIBERATION, which translates to FREEDOM. INDEPENDENCE. As in the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE! (SOUND FAMILIAR?)
Ok, deep breath . . . ahh, better now. Sorry for the outburst.
I could go on, but I’ll spare you. So let me just direct those woeful last-administration lovers to the picture of little Sasha Obama giving her dad a big thumbs up after his Inaugural address. Now if that doesn’t put a smile in your heart, you don’t have one.
So lighten up, people! You, the doom-and-gloom folks, you had your eight years of what I suppose was your idea of a real good time.
Now let us have ours, and quit your sniveling.
And remember:
Millions and millions of Americans think your attitude and opinions are not conducive to our mental health. These millions of us who felt such joy, and wonder, and awe last Tuesday believe in Peace on Earth and Good Will toward men.
And isn’t that what being an American is all about?