Breathing

On election day, I stood in line at the polling center with a woman who was close to a nervous breakdown. She was so agitated about the vote. She poured out her anxieties after brazenly asking if I was voting for the new savior. She hugged me after she voted. There was a general feeling that we could all exhale finally in the days after the election. Those who were talking about moving to Canada if Obama did not win, were ecstatic, floating on a cloud of optimism and renewed hope. Even two weeks post-election, when I went jogging in Prospect park, the beautiful fall colors could not have been the only reason I saw smiles and good will on the faces of every person I passed. . . . There has been further cause for abated breath in recent weeks as we face economic realities that represent greater obstacles than most of us thought possible. Nevertheless, we continue to go through our daily patterns while watching +400 points and -400 points corresponding to the rotation of the earth on its axis—if nothing else. Let us continue to breathe . . . in and out, with presence. If you would take a break from your daily habits, and like to see some more fall colors, visit Autumn in the Park.