I dreamt about Barack and Michelle Obama all night. I dreamt I was at the White House seated at the table with Michelle Obama sharing in the celebration. The evening felt electric and the gravity of the moment was not taken for granted.

Often, I wake after a particularly exciting dream with disappointment when I realize that, indeed, it is only a dream and that even continued sleep will not take me back to the relished moment of my dream state. But, this morning was unlike the countless other mornings that left my fulfilled dreams and aspirations in the memory of my slumber.

I woke up with the keen awareness that this day was marked by a significant change. I felt and continue to feel moved and inspired. The weight of the last 8 years, specifically the last few months, is noticeably lifted. I feel it in my bones, my heart and I hear it in the voices of my family, friends, students, radio commentators, international leaders and government officials in our own country that fought against Barack Obama.

Last night’s dream signifies the message of Obama’s campaign and the theme of last night’s speech: unity.  we CAN share and will share in this moment because it is our moment.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

My partner and our friends gathered together last night over a communal meal and we sat riveted for hours upon hours as the numbers rolled in. In a matter of a few short moments the number of electoral votes for Obama jumped from 220 to 297 and CNN announced Barack Obama as the 44th president elect of the United States.

It took a second for the impact of that statement to process. We stood up, we cheered, we embraced, we cried, we felt relief, we smiled, we felt our hearts open and we knew that this moment was a moment with enormous implications.

I was impressed with the authenticity of Senator McCain’s conciliatory speech. Even he could not deny the power of this defining moment in our nation’s history.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I’ve always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt’s invitation of Booker T. Washington to visit — to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now — (cheers, applause) — let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth. (Cheers, applause.)

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer in my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day, though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans — (applause) — I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

I felt particularly moved by my partner’s heartfelt and jubilant response to this victory. As a biracial man, he has experienced the cruelty and hatred that fear of difference has fueled. The future of our unborn son was clear in our view of the future as we watched the crowds cheer, tears stream down Jesse Jackson’s cheeks, flags and banners wave, and image after image of city after city across the nation pop on to the screen uniting us with other members of this nation and the global community. Moments like these are not trite or cliche. They are ripe and abundant. They are rare and precious. They remind us of our humanity, our collective spirit and our ability to unite and work together.

I appreciated Obama’s humble tone and his honesty.  I appreciated his message of unity and diversity.  I appreciated his emphasis on collective responsibility and the joint effort it will take to make change happen now that the opportunity for change has arrived. We have been divided for far too long and we have denied the power of community and solidarity.  The ethic of individualism and instant gratification that has been pervasive in recent history has not worked well for the majority of the nation’s citizens.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

That collective spirit brought us to last night’s historical moment.  I have never seen the dedication and drive to create change from the ground up in the way I have over the last year.  My students have mobilized.  My friends have become active in campaigns across the country.  I have seen more and more people seek out information and become conscious. It is unlike anything I have ever seen.  The activism of my early adult years pales in comparison to what has been accomplished in these final months.

As I drove to work, I savored the moment. I replayed the messages and conversations I had with my parents, my lover, my friends, and my students.  I smiled. I think we can all feel the sea change that is beginning to occur.  As opposed to riding the high and letting it drop, I am putting these feelings on a slow simmer and I hope that everyone that is riding the crest will do the same.  This buzz can not wane for everything that can be accomplished to come to fruition.

As I listened to Bush on NPR, I was inspired further by the tone of his speech, similar to the tone of McCain’s speech last night.

Bush called Obama’s win an “impressive victory” and said it represented strides “toward a more perfect Union.” He said the choice of Obama was “a triumph of the American story, a testament to hard work, optimism and faith in the enduring promise of our nation.”

The defeated leader of his own party, John McCain, won accolades as well, but not nearly so glowing.

“The American people will always be grateful for the lifetime of service John McCain has devoted to this nation, and I know he’ll continue to make tremendous contributions to our country,” Bush said.

To a country with monumental civil rights battles in its past, Bush said: “All Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday.”

He recalled the millions of blacks who turned out to vote for one of their own, saying he realizes many never fully believed they would live to see this day. But he also hinted that he has personal feelings of high emotion at this moment, representing the end of a controversial eight years in the Oval Office during which he tried, but failed, to attract more blacks to his party.

“It will be a stirring sight to see President Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their beautiful girls step through the doors of the White House,” the president said. “I know millions of Americans will be overcome with pride at this inspiring moment that so many have waited so long.”

As I strode on to campus today wearing my ObamaMama shirt, I was moved by the sight of the campus population in celebration and the pride that last night’s victory has instilled in so many.

I feel hopeful and committed.  I think we all recognize this moment for what is is: a watershed in history and an opportunity.

As my friend, Theresa, said in her text message to me this morning, “My inner child wants to hug everyone.” I concur.

This piece by Marianne Schnall is moving, inspirational and a powerful example of the collective spirit of women.

Marianne Schall’s intention in writing this piece is as follows:

“As a woman, I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed and shaken by this election season, the highs and lows of it all. On the one hand, I have been feeling powerful — everyone is talking about women and our decisive influence in this election. Even the cover of the September 22nd issue of Newsweek is asking, “What do women want?” It’s a good question. So many important themes and dialogues have been raised during this election season — about identity politics, what we expect from a woman leader, sexism in the media, diversity in the feminist movement, what masculine and feminine values are, and about Sarah Palin and the “Palin effect.” It all made me want to talk to other women, to get clarity, to gain insight. I tried to think about what I, personally, could do to contribute to this dialogue.

I realized that, through my many years as a writer and as founder of the women’s website and non-profit organization, Feminist.com, I possessed extensive contacts with a diverse cross-section of well-known and respected women. So, I decided to pose identical questions by e-mail to some of these dynamic women and just see what came in. Some of the responses I got were by e-mail, some by impromptu phone interviews, but, it was clear that people felt the urge to talk and vent their thoughts.”

One of my favorite (of many) quotes:

Isabel Allende:
“Sisters, look at the issues, not color, gender or age of the candidates. Obama represents hope and change, he has ideals, he brings light and intelligence to a stagnant political situation that has lasted too long and has left the country economically bankrupt, trapped in a never ending war and divided. Sisters, be informed, work for the best candidate, vote and make sure that everybody around you votes too. Show up or we will all regret it. Obama is the girls in the race.”

I just spent a weekend in the glorious land of Big Sur with 14 phenomenal women from a broad array of backgrounds.  Heterosexual. Lesbian. Bi. Mothers. Daughters. Sisters. Lovers. Single. Married. Formally educated.  Educated by personal experience. Comfortable.  Working class. Extroverted.  Shy and introspective. Young. Mature. Timeless.

I’ve been  a member of this particular community for three years and a consciously identified feminist for 17 years.  I am still confronted by my own internalized sexism and suspicion when I circle or gather with women.  I am still prone to judgment and competition.  As a young girls, we are socialized to see other girls as a source of competition.  Very often, our best friends are our most intense rivals. As an educator, I constantly hear young women referring to other women as “skinny bitches,” “sluts,” “bitches” and “hos.”

Who’s surprised?  Growing up in a patriarchal culture, girls/women understand from an early age that we will be measured according to the patriarchal standard.  We are measured by the male gaze.  We vie for attention and resources are limited.

In the vein of consciousness-raising groups of second wave feminism, these communities are invaluable to me, specifically, because they bring these deeply entrenched feelings to the surface and allow them to evaporate in an environment of support. Something remarkably different emerges when women gather with intention and purpose.

As I gathered with these beautiful women over the course of three days last weekend, I was given the incredible gift of insight, wisdom and solidarity.  I can not deny the power of this kind of company or the inspiration this type of community provides.

When I read the piece by Marianne Schnall, I was given pause to reflect and cherish the multiple communities of women I am bound to.  I was and am in deep gratitude.  When I read the voices of the remarkable women Schnall featured in her article, I was and am in deep gratitude for their ability to reach thousands of other women. Each of these women weave in and out of their own communities and collectively we embody a solid mass of women.

We are all remarkable and we all have the power to use our voice.  I am in deep gratitide for women all across the globe that, seen or unseen, commune and strive for social and political change that is equitable and just.