New Delhi, India

It’s been nearly a week since the world changed and I’m still enjoying the afterglow of the new reality. In case you missed it, a whole new ball game officially started here in America on November 4th at 11 pm EST when 55% of California voters said, “Yes we can!” and gave the sweetest of all election victories to Barack Obama.

The news blasted out in a thousand directions and from the images broadcast around the planet, we saw how the rest of the world felt about our choice. My God! Folks on every continent just let loose with all manner of crying, cheering, dancing, hugging and kissing, and generally acting like human beings who have just been given the most wonderful gift… HOPE for a better world.

What other event has ever triggered such jubilation on this scale? Certainly not any other Presidential election. Then what? I’m thinking maybe not since the end of World War II has the world been so happy. Geez, we all ought to party together more often. How about next weekend at my house?

I’ve read much about the role of “our better angels” in this election. And yes, I believe they turned out in force last Tuesday… along with all those under-30 voters. (Thanks, kids! You’re so awesome!) I’m not sure where our angels have been hanging out for the past 8 years, but hey, you showed up when we really needed you and that counts for a lot.

For my money, the truly remarkable thing about all of this is that America has finally lived up to its promise of equality (except for those truly unjust “Defense of Marriage” laws which are a shameful but temporary obstacle to full equality). In electing Obama, all of us, whether we voted for him or not, should feel especially proud as Americans. We’ve finally proved that we know how to walk the walk. And you know what? Once is all it takes, because there’s no turning back… Our better angels would not let that happen. No way.