[Ailist] A letter to President-elect Obama from Alice Walker

[Colette Herrick]

This is a beautifully appreciative letter from the author, Alice  
Walker to President-Elect Obama.

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,

You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us  
being the black people of the Southern United States . You think you  
know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history.  
But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried,  
year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to  
be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is  
almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not  
intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed,  
because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a  
different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through  
all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the  
spirit of Africa and of the Americas . Knowing this, that you would  
actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take  
your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and  
character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only  
sung about.

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster  
that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for  
bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you  
do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make  
a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your  
gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your  
family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon  
become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their  
wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have  
smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no  
way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of  
thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse  
not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real  
success, which is all that so many people in the world really want.  
They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the  
attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is  
because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside  
job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. Most  
damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain.  
Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess  
a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to  
have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in  
disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of  
the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this  
we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting  
a Bible with which I often fought, "hate the sin, but love the  
sinner." There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more  
torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people's spirit.  
This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women,  
children. We see where this leads, where it has led.

A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is presented  
by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he  
confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet . Because,  
finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a  
credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the  
connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain  
ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we  
watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations,  
distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit  
and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering  
smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

In Peace and Joy,
Alice Walker

© 2008, Alice Walker



Kind Regards,

Colette

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Colette Herrick
Insight Shift, putting insights into action
175 W 200 S, Suite 1004, SLC, UT 84101
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www.insightshift.com

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