We have a new President. Many people have great hope. I am reading, listening, and staying open to the possibilities. The after the inauguration, I participated in my first political rally.  The beautiful day, the positive spirit, and the thousands of men, women, and children interested in a brighter tomorrow.buoyed my confidence.

Miss K, 12 years-old, accompanied me to Chicago, while two other grandchildren, Mr. N and Miss S, accompanied their mother to Washington D.C.  Miss E, 17, decided to protest the rally by staying in the D.C. hotel while her mother demonstrated.  I relish that we can disagree and still love each other.

When I got back home, Friend angrily proclaimed, “It isn’t right that the March banned pro-choice marcher.”  What?  I never heard that.  That sent me to do a little research.  I saw nothing like that in my registration packet.  I am pro-life. Check out this link if you’re wondering about my stance.  

Anyways, I went right to Snopes.com to check out the validity of Friend’s claim.  Snopes is apolitical and devoted to factchecking.  Not just for politics, but for virtually anything.  Friend was right, and she was wrong.  The organizers for the D.C. March accepted sponsorship from a group of Texan pro-life feminists. When people complained, they cancelled.  When people complained about that, they re-considered.  Whew!  It must be so hard to organize something that turned out to be so humongous.

I am amazed that the March grew from a small grass-roots effort to a global phenomenon.  Even people in Antarctica participated.  Holy icebergs.  Chicago isn’t even on this map.  I wonder how many other cities weren’t counted.

So, today, like  everyday, I have so many reasons for gratitude:

• For all my friends and family, right, left, and center, who keep my heart and mind open;
• For the Chicago police officer who stopped to chat with me about his left-leaning political views and what it’s like to be an officer in Chicago (he’s retiring soon, and he will be in my prayers);
• For a sunny day and broad smiles and positive attitudes of all the marchers I encountered;
• For mass transit, free kids’ rides on the weekend, and senior discounts;
• For a clean, warm bed to sleep in;
• For the affordable healthcare I’ve been provided and the good health most of my family experience;
• For the week with Miss K and her four brothers;
• For a country where freedom of speech is as important as freedom of religion.

Above all, I’m thankful that from a very early age, my parents drilled me with the importance of listening with an open heart and mind, and to question, question, question before forming an opinion of my own.  That last part was also something that Mom sorta, kinda wished she hadn’t been so successful at, especially when I was a teen. I hope she’s thankful for the results.