★ Peace and Hope ★

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Jon and I 'experienced' a wonderfully old historic neighborhood in St. Louis this past weekend, called Shaw. It was there we showed our work. A wonderful collection of work from high caliber artists ignited the public. The air was crisp and the leaves beginning to fall. Homes were adorend with Halloween decorations and potted mums.The recent doom of Wall Street had an impact on sales, but we anticipated that going in. We feel the need to continue to tempt people with our work.
I believe we did just that!
The neighborhood welcomed the artists to their annual event and into their homes and held a party Saturday after the show that left many drinking wine and dancing late into the evening, despite our economic stresses.
It may have been just the antidote!
What really struck us, was how wonderfully 'blue' an area we were in. Down the street from our booth, a grassroots movement of making yards signs for Obama took place. Large tarps covered the yard where signs were spray painted and decorated by children and adults. Bumper stickers were sold, ideas shared and poll numbers exchanged. The neighborhood children wrote messages about hope and Obama in the streets with chalk.
To be around like minded, intelligent, politically alive people was wonderful!
It gave us hope!
Hope Obama will win.
Hope for our country.
Hope of a return to people buying art.
Hope for so many lost feelings.

For the last 8 years I have watched our country become more divided every day.
The great 'uniter' has failed miserably in bringing this country together.
It reaches farther than that however. It has become a source of divisiness among
families who cannot bear to debate conflict.
This scenerio we know well.
Jon and I come from Republican parents who will not discuss politics.
Period.
I find this odd. I have long believed that it's when ideas, however different, are shared, that we can
all learn from one another.
I also was taught to stand up for what I believe in. I'm not afraid to speak my mind or think on my feet
and perhaps it is this that frightens them more.

I believe in leaving the world better than I found it.
I believe in helping the planet heal itself.
I believe in better tomorrows by carefully adjusting what we do today.
In taking responsibility.
I belive in the power of peace and the power of hope.
Without them I would be nothing.
Without them I could not put myself out there, weekend after weekend in such a wrecked economy
trying to sell my soul through my art.
Without them, I could not daily put one foot in front of the other without falling.
Without them I could not wake up to the atrocities the last wreckless 8 years of war, mismanagement and lies
have brough to our country and not curl into a ball sobbing.
Without them I would have given up long ago.
I don't want to be disappointed on November 4th.
I want change!
I want my livlihood back!
I WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK!!!

Like I said, I believe in the power of peace and the power of hope!
This is what I am casting my vote towards on election day!

Patricia

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