Day 7: Water

Yesterday was the highly contested presidential election. My husband and I, newshounds, have had voices in our heads for months as we listened to pundits, journalists and the candidates themselves keep us up to date on every second of a long, tiring campaign. By yesterday, my stomach was in knots thinking about the possibilities of the results, and what might happen afterwards. Memories came back of the recount in 2000 that kept our country in limbo for 37 days. I knew I didn't want to go through that again.

Our instantaneous culture of today is not accustomed to waiting. But yesterday, I voted around noon, then switched on the radio to hear the news. The stump speeches had stopped, and the same negative campaign ads I'd heard over and over even sounded half-hearted to me yesterday. We were all exhausted and ready for this to be over. I switched off the radio. There really wouldn't be any new news until after the polls closed at 7 p.m.

After I picked up my son from school, he asked if he could borrow my camera. The two of us went to our back yard, where a gentle rain had been falling. It was quiet outside, and we both watched water droplets as they slowly slid down leaves, or hung in suspended animation off of our patio furniture.

Photo by Reese, age 8

Photo by Distracted Mommy

I think most people would say they don't like waiting. We all want everything nownownownownownow. But yesterday, after a long and tiring campaign, I savored the waiting. For a few hours yesterday afternoon, anything was possible, nobody knew all the answers, and I listened to the quiet.

I wish all of you some moments of quiet expectation!