I happened upon a documentary called Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union. Having floundered between rewatching the fictional administration of Jed Bartlett and following actual current events it was startling to be thrust into recent history. I was minimally aware of politics in 2007, as in I knew the Pledge of Allegiance, but my twins were in kindergarten, Benjamin still confused me, and I was finishing grad school. I absolutely voted in that election, because my savvy daughters poked me into engagement. But I was oblivious to the tumultuous events so well captured in the film. I was ignorant of the Democratic Convention in which Obama claimed his footing on the big stage. Historians place it as one of the greatest political statements of the century, and I was probably making sandwiches. When Obama sang Amazing Grace at a funeral in 2015 I was not listening. But I am listening now. If my sweet mother had still been on earth I have no doubt that she would have been glued to her screen, and might have coaxed me into her apartment for the recap. But she had already graduated to being a citizen of that monarchy in which there are no elections. 

 

I loved the series. The surge of patriotism I felt was akin to the emotions my mother tried to convey to me over her lifetime. She believed fiercely that it matters who shows up, which I agreed with in theory but my attention was shall we say diluted. 

 

Mom would be pleased that I watched. She would approve of me voting tomorrow, as well as my five daughters and four sons. Even the one on distant shores. She would also smile to know that I mailed a quilt to Barack and Michelle in 2021. Presumptuous of me, I know, but I felt a deep desire to thank them and fabric is my language. It had a batik angel, and overlapping circles that symbolized how we can be part of one another's sphere. I even got a letter back, assuring me that they received it. 

 

But even if I had no letter with Barack and Michelle's signatures on it, there is a completion of the circle simply from my effort to express gratitude. They already gave a full measure of devotion.