America’s Honeymoon With Barack Hussein Obama

Oh, how sweet it is: the feeling of relief, victory, and joy that Barack Hussein Obama has been sworn in and is finishing his first day as President of the United States of America. Today was the big day, complete with a little bit of word fumbling over the vows, I mean, oath of office. It even concludes with an elegant dance. The media loves him; the steadfast Democrats love him; even the middle-ground, cynical, and typically uninterested in politics moderates love him.

And so we begin our honeymoon with the President. No, we still have to go to work and be unhappy about most of the same things we were unhappy about yesterday. The plus side is that this is a three month honeymoon. Yes, that blissful feeling as you start the next chapter in your life with your new President.

Then comes crunch time. This is when the shininess of your new President starts to fade, and with it go all the moderates who jumped on board. There will be a time, and it will come upon you sooner than you think, when the media will be more critical – and probably compensate for their Obama-love by being unfairly critical, and all your coworkers and friends who usually don’t care even a little bit about politics will shout angrily that their lives are still the same. Yes, lots of people have vastly exaggerated expectations of Barack Obama and what can be accomplished in just a few months.

It is unfortunate, but preventable. The first step is to take a step back and realize that Barack Hussein Obama, 44th President of the United States of America, is a man. He is also a politician. While I am very optimistic about the next four or even eight years, I also reserve a degree of skepticism and pragmatism. No, I am not a doubter, cynical, or pessimistic. I simply wish to remind you that even the most powerful man in the country, free world, or perhaps entire world is ultimately a man, and he is limited by the impositions of politics and the gravity of the issues of the day.

The second step, and this applies only to those who started caring about politics in the last two years and are over 20 years old. Ask yourself why you love politics. Is it because the last two years have been wildly exciting? If so, know now that things will be less exciting for a while. This doesn’t mean you cant still love politics, but just do so knowing what non-campaign season is like.

The third step to solidifying your loving relationship with your new President, and The Nation itself, is to contribute. It’s not a one sided deal. Long gone are the days when concerned or even mildly interested citizens wrote to their mayors, Congressmen, and Presidents. This can change. Write letters, voice your concerns, approvals, disapprovals, and words of appreciation when applicable. I certainly make no guarantee that you will get a response, or even have your letter read by the intended recipient. I do say that it will make you feel good about yourself and your place in the national community.

Step four, I suppose, is an extension of letter writing activism. Volunteer for community service. If you ever find yourself discontent for the shape your life is in, volunteering is a great way to not only put it in perspective and gain an appreciation for what you do have, but the sense of accomplishment will be worth more to you than any federal stimulus package – unless you just really, really need money. In which case, good luck to you. And hey, I’m not judging.

Step five: relax. America’s not going anywhere. For all the woes we have, just be patient and know better times are a-comin’. Every misstep that falters America’s stride has been viewed by those living those troubled days as perilous turmoil. You’re here, I’m here, we’re all here. We’ve made it this far. Know that whatever the troubles are now, it’s not over. It just takes time. Just be patient, do your part, flash a smile, be optimistic (but realistic), and enjoy the rest of your time with President Barack Obama. The honeymoon is sweet, sure, but the next four years are going to be fantastic.