The Editor, Sir:

The 2008 campaign for US President is an undeniably historic one. For the first time, the president of the United States of America may be a woman or a black man. Millions of people have rallied behind the candidate of their choice. There have been hundreds of speeches, scores of interviews, newspaper articles, editorials and widespread news coverage on all the candidates. You cannot however, ignore the 'Obama mania' the 'frensied' swarm of Barack Obama supporters. I am one of them.

My support for Barack Obama does not exist because he is black. I do not support him because he is from a normal family with issues just like mine. I do not support him because he was born on a island just like me. I do not support him solely because of his views on 'the issues' (health care, the war on Iraq, taxes, etc) I support him because of what he has been able to teach me in these few months.

There are many lessons to be learnt from Barack Obama. The most unique and notable lesson that I take away from his campaign is the importance of squeezing the juice out of every opportunity that life affords you. As a African-Jamaican American, I have been fortunate. I live in America and at the age of 26, I am living the American dream. I have a job that I love, I own my own home, I drive a nice car and I have some money in the bank. I have 'my whole life ahead of me' as it were, and people have said that I really couldn't ask for more. I disagree.

We have been taught subconsciously to put limits on ourselves. Whether you are white, Asian, Latino, black or other, you are taught that there comes a point when you've achieved 'all that you can achieve' and you really 'couldn't ask for more'. There is an invisible lid that we seem tempted to place on the bubbling pot of our lives. This lid has the caption 'You couldn't ask for more'. But, why not?

Making history

Before announcing his intent to campaign to be president of the United States, Barack Obama had already made history. He is the fifth African-American to serve as a senator and he had already written a book that made it to number one on the New York Times best-seller list. Barack Obama is handsome, married to a beautiful successful and intelligent wife, he has two lovely daughters, noteworthy career achievements, among other things. He 'had it made' and he really 'couldn't ask for more'.

His wife admitted that when Barack told her that he wanted to run for the Office of President of the United States, she was floored. "You want to do what?" She listed the fears that she had and after thinking about it made the decision to sacrifice a life of normalcy to support her husband, as he reached out and asked the universe to grant him more. Barack Obama could have remained senator of Illinois until his term ended in 2011. He did not have to run for president but he did. Despite the fact that he really couldn't ask for more.Barack Obama made use of the platform that he had been given. He stood on it and used the gifts and talents that God has given him, he used the opportunities and blessings that he possessed and dared to reach out for more. I believe that Barack Hussein Obama will be elected to be the president of the United States of America on November 4, 2008.

I am so impressed with and thankful for this man's influence. Barack Obama has inspired me to - if nothing else - 'squeeze the juice' out of every opportunity that life affords me. Regardless of how successful I already am, it is okay to ask for more.

I am, etc.,

AVALEEN MORRIS

avaleenmorris@yahoo.com

Atlanta, GA

Via Go-Jamaica