_**“For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting."*
- Gen. George C. Patton**_
In 2008, the world hailed Barack Obama. Even staunch conservatives voted for him. I know some. They deluded themselves, of course, but they voted for Barack Obama.
Today, his supporters politely heckled him in a back yard in Ohio.
The Tea Party has effectively seized the Republican Party. Glory is not yet ours. We need to find 38,000 new voters in the 3rd District alone.
And even then, glory is fleeting. Eyes will be on us. Not just the angry eyes of our enemies, but the hopeful eyes of the unemployed. The praying eyes of the disillusioned. The proud eyes of our believers.
Glory flees regardless of what we do, but we can move from triumph to triumph, seizing new glory and releasing the old.
We can also squeeze glory and feel it slide between our fingers and float away. That’s what Obama did. And Clinton in his first term.
All glory is fleeting. Letting go leaves your hands free to grab the next triumph.
Learn to let go and keep your eyes open.
The next chance to shine is every day between now and November 2. Come to 4512 Hampton Avenue, Monday through Saturday after 10 am.