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Dear Dr. King,

Tonight I heard the tale of a black woman over one hundred years old going to cast her vote.

She became part of history, exercising a right she had been denied all those years ago. And I wonder what will happen if I reach her age; who I will be voting for.

Tonight I saw teenagers jumping up and down – for politics.

I know I would be if I were there.

Tonight I know that that girl from my dance class screamed with joy.

I barely know her, but her passion is just so strong that it’s impossible to imagine otherwise.

Tonight I saw Jesse Jackson cry.

Before this year, I didn’t know who that man was. And now I’m crying through a smile with him, imaging all of the hope and relief and joy charging through his aging heart.

After all those years…Oh God, all those years.

Tonight I saw hatred.

I scrolled down in horror as I read the racist exclamations crawling across the screen. And here I thought that it was only an exaggeration.

Tonight I saw love.

Congratulations from Ireland, Thailand, Brazil. My head is spinning; maybe now we can face the world with our old pride.

Tonight I saw grace.

It was in McCain’s concession speech, and suddenly it was so vivid how much this man has given. I smiled a little sadly.

Tonight I saw thousands upon thousands chanting Yes we can.

It’s happened. After years upon years of hatred and division and rage, hoses and nightsticks and burning crosses, it’s finally happened.

How this man will lead our nation remains to be seen. Division will remain, as will doubt. But no matter what happens…

Oh God, it’s happened.

It’s happened, it’s happened, I can’t say it enough, it’s happened. The deepest scar of our country has been faced down and overcome. He’s just a man, but behind all that, he has become a symbol.

Yes, we can.

A little girl walking into school, escorted by soldiers. A group of students refusing to back down in the face of gunfire. A fiery man with a printing press screaming, “I WILL BE HEARD.”

Over and over and over, they screamed.

Men and women fighting with books, fighting with words and song.

We shall overcome.

And you, Dr. King. You did it. Those words mean something now. If I had lived in your time, I wouldn’t have believed it.

I’m sorry you weren’t there to see it happen, but it did. You spoke in those soaring tones and people listened. You whispered, you chanted, you screamed.

And it made a difference.

We shall be heard. We shall overcome. Yes we can.

The words change, but the melody remains the same.

Thank you.