This morning, as I was leaving the gym, sweaty from George’s painful “Hard Body Meltdown” class with my new friend Nicole, I happened to look up as I walked out into the open air. The air felt different this morning. Across the road from me was a voting poll where at least a hundred people were lined up. For the first time since all this mamby pamby started (8? 9 years ago?), I looked across at those people as a part of my team. There were democrats no doubt (this is Massachusetts afterall) and republicans, but standing across the road they were people. They were people who cared enough to get out, to wait in line, to read their Metros and drink their coffee, and some of them were even chatting with each other. They were people who understood that no matter what, no matter your job, your color, your income level, if you do not vote you lose your voice.

For me, I vote because I believe that I am a part of the change. My voice, though small, is powerful. There will never be a tie because of me. I will break ties, I will build bridges, I will bring men and women home from war, I will bring clear air initiatives to our country. I will vote. Without liberty I am tied to the home, I am denied jobs because of my heritage, my gender, my sexuality. Without liberty I am unable to vote, I am unable to speak, I am unable to make a choice for my body, for my family, for my life. Without liberty we do not lead lives, we endure existence.

I hope that you win today, Mr. Obama. Everyone has their theories. Will there be a Bradley effect? Will people seize in the final moments, thinking only of your skin and not your promises? Will people forget their children, forget their planet, forget their jobs and deny you the job you so rightfully deserve because you are black? For all our progress, there is still that possibility. I’m sorry for that. I apologize to you for that.

I will vote for you today. I’m actually going after lunch, with my husband. We’re going to go and wait in line, and vote, and hopefully I will get one of those “I Voted” stickers, because in the last election I didn’t get shit. I FedEx Overnighted a democratic vote to the home state of the republican incumbent. I dont think I would have gotten a sticker even if I were at home. This year, I’m getting my fucking sticker. I’ll probably take a picture too.

If you lose, I’ll keep that picture somewhere. And when my grandchildren learn about the executive branch of the government, I will take out that picture and show them. There I am, I’ll say. I was there.

And if you win, I’ll keep that picture somewhere. And when my grandchildren learn about the executive brand of the government, I’ll take out that picture and show them. There I am I’ll say. I was there. Only this time I’ll hold them close and look at their healthy bodies and their healthy futures and I will be reminded that I was more than there. I was here. I was making a selfless decision for the future. I was thinking beyond myself, my income bracket, my religion. I was thinking bigger than bottomlines and relentless capitalism. When I voted on Novemeber 4th, 2008, I was putting an end to the past.

Mr. Obama, I hope that you win this election tonight. I hope that people understand that where there is no experience there is will. There is a purity of passion and pursuit that is why you should win, not why you shouldn’t.

Mr. Obama, I hope that you win this election tonight, because I hope that my daughter grows up to love her body, respect it’s power, and honor her power over it. I hope that my sons grow to know their strength, yield it honorably, and never have to die in spite of it. I will not send my children to war. I will not allow an overzealous government to govern my childrens bodies. I will not send my legacy into this world to suffer and fall. And should my children come to me, bursting with love for another– -no matter who that person should be– I will not have them be told that their joy and love mean less in the eyes of this country. We, my husband and I, will sit in the front row and support them, smiling, elated– because our children were able to find love in this world. . .

I will vote for you today.

And I will hope.

OBAMANOS.