Day One.

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve felt such an overwhelming sense of naive optimism.

The crushing oppression and emotional heartbreak that came to the world on September 11, 2001 seemed to survive through the first decade of global politics and stifled any sense of joy to be had with the future of human kind.

Shortly after that momentous occasion, I wanted to write something called ‘Day One’.  It was to have been an open look at what could be after such an incredible gut-wrenching disaster.  I tried to imagine a world without George Bush, invasions of countries in the Middle East and elsewhere, an end to justification of tracking the activities of everyone around the globe and the suppression of an ever-blossoming budget on military, surveillance, mercenary hires and control of our lives.

What would have happened if we spent that money on solving the world’s problems, going green and ending the strangle-hold that oil, military spending and corporations have on our lives?

Despite the effort to see the ‘glass half full’, my sense of dread persisted concerning the Canadian political climate.  ‘Old stock Canada’ didn’t seem ready to accept that the world is capable of change and shoved its head further into the sand to ignore and obfuscate what we as a species must do if we’re going to survive the coming decades of climate change, war, violence, racism and fear.

Canadians took much longer to change after the Bush years and we still have a LOT to do.

It’s been the essence of inspiration for most of my blogging over the last ten years.  I feel like the rebels after blowing up the Death Star or Batman losing the Joker.

Today’s swearing in of our 23rd Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has opened up a new sense of (again, naive) optimism for Canada and our place in the world and, more importantly, our ability to influence and shape the direction we take.

So … today is ‘Day One’ for me.  I’m feeling more light, more joyous and more receptive to change and hope than I have in a very long time and I have Canada to thank for it.

Justin Trudeau’s simple response to the obtuse question about female cabinet appointments – coming from a female news reporter – reinforced my new-found sense of appreciation for what has happened.

‘It’s 2015’, he said calmly, as if to say ‘Duh.  Half the audience out there is female and we’re moving forward and why are you even asking such a question’.

I would love to go on, but this isn’t a JT love-fest.  It’s just a simple admission that I feel better.  I feel relieved.  I feel optimistic.

Don’t take that away from me, OK?