A Message of Heartfelt Gratitude

Recently I received the following e-mail from a young woman in Australia. I believe it reflects the sentiment of many people around the world with regard to the election of Barack Obama.

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Hi Mr Bayly,

My name is Louise and I am a student from Sydney who, to be honest, found your email after a random blog search. I know that doesn’t sound promising, but I had this overwhelming urge to communicate with an American, to share my heartfelt congratulations for your nation and how proud I (and millions of others throughout the world) are of the great achievement your nation has made in electing Obama president. I believe there is now so much hope for a brighter future, and I am overwhelmed with affection for your nation.

However, after reading your blog I see that you are from Australia too, although I only intended to email an American (I was going to phone random Americans to thank them but I didn’t know how and anyway that would probably be inappropriate). And I appreciate that you are working for such a just cause (especially since I am from a Catholic background).

Basically, I just want to express my sincere gratitude to you, on behalf of your nation since I don’t really know any Americans but I feel so proud of you all, so grateful, so wonderfully happy about the decision your country has made. I hope I managed to convey my sincere gratitude and have not alarmed you with this email from a complete stranger.

Love and best wishes,

Louise


Thanks, Louise, for contacting me and sharing your thoughts. Although I’m not a U.S. citizen and so was unable to vote in the recent election, I was nevertheless supportive of the Obama campaign and hoping he would win. By sharing your e-mail, I hope to extend your message of gratitude and congratulation to some of those Americans who did ensure the election of Barack Obama.


See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Thoughts on Tomorrow’s Presidential Election
“Change Has Come to America”
A Night of Celebration
The Challenge for Progressives with an Obama Presidency

Recommended Off-site Links:
The World Loves Obama - Rosa Brooks (The Sentinel, November 8, 2008).
Arabs See Hope in Obama After Years of Bush - Lee Keith and Hadeel Al-Shalchi (ABC News, November 6, 2008).
Obama Supporters in France Set Sights on Diversity at Home - Carole Landry (AFP, November 8, 2008).
Obama Win Will Change the World, Tutu Says - AllAfrica.com (November 4, 2008).
What the World Expects from Obama - Radio Netherlands Worldwide (November 10, 2008).