I feel like I should write something in the aftermath of yesterday's election, but I'm also confident that somewhere in all the political commentary in the blogosphere, someone has already summarized my opinions, and they don't bear repeating. I was satisfied with the outcome, let's leave it at that.

What struck me about the last couple of weeks was the intense level of interest and involvement I encountered almost everywhere I went. This election seemed to MATTER to a wide spectrum of people who hadn't seemed to feel moved to share their interest in earlier elections. Monday and yesterday, almost everywhere I went, people asked: "Have you voted?" At an evening meeting, after the polls had closed - "Did you vote?"

This seemed new to me, and refreshingly positive as well. On the last day of early voting in the area where I live, the line at the library snaked down the hall, out the door, back along the side of the building, and into the park. The parking lot was jammed with cars, and a quick trip to return a book which was due turned into a lengthy wait at one intersection after another as traffic entered and left the area.

As we watched the speeches and commentary last night, Mr Woodstock and I began to reminisce about the late 1960's. Although we didn't know each other then, we share remarkably similar memories of grief and shock in the aftermath of the deaths of Dr King and Robert Kennedy. Some sense of passionate involvement left me during those weeks, and it has not returned. In one way, I envy the zealous and energetic young people of every cultural and political stripe who worked so hard and so long during the last 20 months or so. When I see their many faces in crowds of enthusiastic campaigners, I feel hope for them, for their children, and for those of us who follow where they lead. In one way, I hope that they will NEVER be able to understand the only posture I can manage - that of a willing participant in the election process, who nevertheless will probably always remain something of a bystander.