RSFFO -- Red Sox Fans For Obama

It's here. Finally, the end is in sight. My home and my marriage have survived two years of campaigning. Hopefully, tomorrow, I will have reason to celebrate. Now, though, I can't shake the feeling of doom and gloom.

Red Sox fans everywhere will appreciate, and sympathize with, my hesitancy to believe in an Obama victory. Like so many longtime Boston supporters, I will never forget that precise moment just before David Ortiz's walk-off RBI at the end of Game Five in the Championship Series leading up to the 2004 World Series. The Yankees had killed the Red Sox in the earlier games, so that the Red Sox then had to win Every game against the Yankees to make it to the World Series. We all knew they could do it, but we had been there so many times before that we were afraid to believe they Would do it. After years of defeat and heartache (point of fact: ALL Red Sox fans remember exactly where they were watching the game when Bill Buckner missed the ball through his legs) we came to expect defeat. Until 2007, when the Red Sox won the World Series for the second time in three years, we were practiced at being unconvinced that the better team would triumph, despite their grit, their integrity, and their superior natural abilities. Watching Big Papi that night, I had to get up from the couch and leave the room several times, afraid to watch.

When the hit finally came and the Red Sox won, Bill and I were jumping and screaming like maniacs. We couldn't believe it. Good had triumphed over evil at last! We finally believed it was possible, that the Yankees were going down, and going down hard. We still weren't sure the Sox would win the World Series, but we felt they had a fighting chance.

That feeling is the same one I have had for the past several days. I am completely unwilling to believe the polls, the pundits, the newspapers, radio or any "knowledgeable source" who claims to have divined the results of today's election. I am not convinced that Obama will win. Truly, I feel I should prepare myself for a Republican victory, if only because I have a gut feeling that Sarah Palin just might pull it off. Which, of course, leaves me terrified.

What I do have faith in is my belief that Barack Obama is destined to make history. And, more importantly, my belief that a huge majority of people throughout the United States, and abroad, believe that this country needs an Obama presidency at this time in our country's history. We need hope. We need change. We need someone we can rely on to reach out to others, in different countries and across the aisle, to put the best and most capable individuals in decision-making roles. When I look at the choices in front of me, I cannot in good conscience even consider voting for Sarah Palin, or for the individual that believes she is capable of leading this country, especially given the issues confronting us as a nation.

Unlike other elections, I will be up late tonight, watching CNN until the victor claims his spoils. I will wake up my children to watch, no matter how late it is and no matter who wins. This is an historic election. It is an election we will tell our children and grandchildren about in years to come. Then, when we have the wisdom and history behind us to better look back at this day, we will (hopefully) be proud of our nation and proud of the choices we made today.