Weekend with Jacob

My dad died four years ago tonight. Right near Father's Day. For the past three Father's Days, I've had a little distraction to keep me thinking positive during that holiday.

I will always be a little sad on Father's Day, and I'll never forget going through that first Father's Day after dad died in shock just a day or two before the funeral. But, ever since 2006, I have enjoyed the holiday as the daddy and it's nice.

This year Jen and I took Jacob to the zoo. He loved watching the monkeys. We had a nice relaxing day (as much as possible for a trip to the zoo on a holiday weekend). We got to see a Tiger come right up to the window. Jacob was fascinated, and a little scared. That was Saturday. On Sunday, I just relaxed and played with the little guy.

Tonight, I took some pictures of us after a particularly rough game of "ball." "Ball" really has no rules. We just play with the ball. The one's with him in red are from tonight.

Jacob makes Father's Day special.

"He's calling us home"

I have been walking on air all day today.

I can't explain how happy it makes me to know now that Barack Obama will run his next election to become our nation's president. I don't even refer to him as the Democratic nominee because he is more than a Democrat. He is the best candidate I have known in my lifetime and the most inspirational political figure I have experienced. Obama transcends party affiliation. He is simply an American running for president.

Do yourself a favor and watch the speech here in its entirety. If you do not feel compelled to strive for a higher standard after watching this speech, you need to check your pulse.

Someone told me not long ago that Barack Obama is calling us home. I wasn't sure what that meant at first, but I have figured it out. He is calling us to our better selves. He is calling us back to our roots and to our highest principals.

No more torture, no more preemptive wars, no more lies. There was a time when we considered ourselves better than all that. There was a time when we stood in the face of fear and maintained all that made us good. There was a time when we never compromised our principals.

Barack Obama reminds us that we have not gone anywhere and that we can once again recall that spirit and be that beacon on the hill. I talked to a new acquaintance I met on Facebook.com. He lives in Canada and, from our conversation, indicated that the rest of the world has been waiting for us to come home as well.

I was proud to tell him to just be patient because we are on our way back!

I am also so very proud to know that little people like me have made this campaign a success. Me, some of my friends and family, and countless others out there have teamed up to neutralize the very rich in this nation. We, the little people, more than 1.5 million strong, have contributed to his campaign.

For once, the masses have forced the establishment to listen. I could not be more satisfied. In a way, I feel like I own a small piece of this movement along with millions of others from all walks of life. Overwhelmingly, Obama donors give less than $200.00. I own 1/1.5m th of the campaign (give or take) and I cherish it.

After so many years talking about doom and fear, it's nice to be told what is possible. It's nice to be held to a higher standard.

Life just feels good today.