September 7: The Bedpost, the Time, Making Amends

Yes! and the bedpost was his own.  The bed was his own, the room was his own.  Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in!

Yes, this passage comes at the beginning of the last Stave of A Christmas Carol.  Scrooge has been returned to the "real" world, and he is determined to make sure that the Future he just visited remains only a warning.  He will change, and his future will change with him.

There's been a lot of talk about the future these past couple of weeks in the United States.  Last week, the Republican Party held its convention to nominate Mitt Romney as its candidate for President.  Last night, the Democratic Party nominated President Obama.  I watched portions of both political conventions.  I watched Mitt Romney give his speech.  Last night, I watched President Obama give his speech.  Both candidates were full of hope for the future of the United States.  Both candidates spoke about their visions for making amends, for change.

This post is not going to be one of my usual pro-Democratic diatribes.  If you want that this morning, you've come to the wrong place.  I'm sure, in the next two months, I will give vent to my political views on a couple of occasions.  However, this morning, I want to hold on to hope.  Not Republican hope.  Not Democratic hope.  Just hope.

My wife has a new job.  Hope.  I'm getting a raise at the university.  Hope.  My family has health insurance.  Hope.  I have refinanced my mortgage.  Hope.  I have a house, a car, a couple of happy kids.  Hope.  The future is never certain.  Anything can happen.  I know that.  But I have hope.

Saint Marty will take that to the bank this morning.

OK, I couldn't resist