Monday, January 19, 2009

Just For One Day

Just for one day, I will close my ears to the grumbling and the pessimism and believe with the hopeful innocence of a child that the world is about to get better, not because our new President will make it so, but because we will.

Just for one day, I'll close my eyes to the troubles that plague us, and think only about the power and the good that I've seen is possible when enough of us believe and put our hearts together and lend our hands to the work.

Just for one day, I will have this wish that many call naive but that I am yearning for with all my heart.

Steve at On the Slow Train has a beautiful post up about two train journeys that got me thinking about trains and now this song won't leave me. One version, from Yusaf Islam (Cat Stevens) at the 2006 Nobel Concert, and one from Cat Stevens in 1976.



17 comments:

Lana Gramlich said...

On with the Change! Unfortunately poor Obama's got his work cut out for him...

Elizabeth said...

Beautiful! Thanks for the memories -- I might have to post Cat up on my blog as well! Hope you don't mind if the peace train keeps moving...

Anonymous said...

Optimism has a power all it's own

debra said...

Perfect for the day!!! Thank you, Lisa. I think I will pass it forward.
xo

moonrat said...

:)

Sustenance Scout said...

Off to visit Steve! Thanks, K.

suzanneelizabeths.com said...

I like that it's not all about him, it all about us!

steve on the slow train said...

Lisa--Wonderful song. And thank you for linking me.

Charles Gramlich said...

Great speach. Can't say he didn't warn folks about the tough times ahead.

Blayney said...

Nothing feels more risky than letting your excitement and passion have its way with you. If only for today Obama gave us the courage to do that (and I suspect even a day of it could become so alluring we don't want to give it up), then he will have accomplished in one day what we elected him to do.

Larramie said...

Aw, Cat Stevens brings back great memories, including that of my "first love" who played guitar and sang to me. ;)

Thank you, Lisa.

Lisa said...

What a day everybody! I may have to extend my "just for one day" for a while.

I don't know how they're doing the whole Ball scene tonight. I'm exhausted for them.

Next step...what's next? What do we do now?

Carleen Brice said...

What Usman said!

Vesper said...

Wonderful thoughts! Yes, let's extend them to another day, and another, and another...
:-)

Judy Merrill Larsen said...

I'm now back from my trip to DC for the inaugural--it was incredible (I wrote about it on my blog). And, I agree, I want to keep the "just for one day" philosophy going on forever!

kate hopper said...

I love this post, Lisa. And I was so happy to be watching the inauguration with you (if only virtually)!

Anonymous said...

Great post . You almost write like authors I love ! Keep the bubble of happiness expanding.

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Literary Quote

It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything.


Virginia Woolf