Nov 4, 2008

Tears, tears. Millions of people crying. Are they tears of joy? Tears of sadness? I don’t think this is quite so. I cry watching television. I cry at the people crying, who cry at the talking, who cry at my crying, cry at the thoughts they are thinking, the feelings being felt. But are they tears of joy or tears of sadness? I don’t think so. Millions of people are crying. Altogether now, our people are crying. A nation is crying. We come together in small groups and it’s only a moment before some long held tear wets a cheek. In parks more than one million people gather. They are streaming in, streaming down, why so many crying? Are they crying for a document called The Constitution? Do they brace their eyes and turn away because old institutions have nosed back in line with older ideals? I don’t think so. Tears for our torn history, collective tears for our horrible suppressed and silent past. Tears for letting go. What escapes through these tiny tears? What evaporates with this wailing? Tears of exhaustion, tears of relief. Beg the criers, please, to their torturers, let us go. Tears of love, tears of thanks, for this bit of mercy. Tears we cry to be at last forgiven? Tears for starting over? I think so.