Most elections are about immediate issues. Sometimes you get a confluence of factors that presents us with immediate issues and generational issues that can transform the nation. This is one of those elections. We have serious immediate issues (e.g., energy independence, a faltering economy, and the Iraq war). We also have some serious generational issues (basic philosophy of what the government's role should be, and dealing with serious religious and racial/political divides). Those issues require a different kind of leader. In essence, they require a transcendent and transformation figure who can reach across those divides to accomplish change. That's what I saw in Obama; in a lot of ways, he was the culmination of a lot of the great battles for which our father's generation fought so bitterly - including most prominently civil rights. Moreover, he - by his basic philosophy and his biography - was able to bridge and transcend those divides; and most importantly, he preached that message and walked the walk.

I believe one of the most amazing things about this country is its ability to continuously strive for a more perfect union and fix mistakes and heal divides. We owe our fathers and forefathers a great debt of gratitude for what they accomplished and fought for and we have a huge obligation to protect it, better it, and pass it forward. I think the generational churn (for lack of a better word) is amazing to witness. Thanks to them, we now live in a world where the next generation was no longer consumed by the 60's or the civil rights fights and was able to elect a man simply as the better choice; And that's what happened in this election; with this generational churn, we validated what our parents and grandparents fought for. Now our kids will grow up in a world where that is hopefully no longer a relevant question.

I can only imagine what will be ours to fight for and protect. I personally think it may be in our great struggle between defeating terrorism and religious extremism on all sides - whether Muslim, Jewish, Christian or other - and avoiding World War III and preaching tolerance for all those who are moderate practitioners of the same. In that regard, I am hopeful because although I know Americans may disagree on policies, I think the country elected a man who will be able to approach this issue with the depth and nuance and intelligence it requires.

And more than that, I'm hopeful because I know that most Americans - while on opposite ends of the political spectrum - will both be united in the fight to strike out against evil and extremism while instilling in our kids tolerance of all peace-loving good-hearted people, regardless of basic creed or ideology.