He won because he spoke about peace and people listened. That is rare. The whole world listened, and is still listening to this man who speaks of peace, who clearly believes in it, although his actions don't always seem to move towards that goal. Think of how few people have spoken about peace, from the heart, and had the world pay attention. It happens rarely. And it's part of why we fall so short of peace.
If we are not listening to words about peace, we are not thinking about peace. And if we are not listening to someone speak about peace, we are listening to someone else, instead; some other preacher, preaching something other than peace. We will be thinking about some philosophy other than peace. And if we are not thinking about peace, we will surely never live in peace, which requires intention.
Surely any politician can fool a country; every country has been fooled many times over. But don't take the entire world for a fool. The human race is not so easily duped. If a large majority of mankind likes this man, it's clear he is a good man. They know that when he speaks of peace, he has a vision of it.
Imagine a well-intentioned leader in a fledgling country where so many others only want power. Others are well intentioned enough, but lazy, or don't believe peace can be accomplished, so they resign themselves to not strive for it. All you have is your hopes, and the models you see elsewhere, in other countries; it can be done, you say. We can move my country towards peace, you believe. But who is your leader? Where do you look for those models? There's a reason we call our President "the leader of the free world." Like it or not, America is the "shining light," the beacon of a brighter future.
But what then if that leader of the free world doesn't really believe in, understand or speak from the heart about peace? What hope is there then?
The world was not fooled by the last administration. It knew the man in America's highest position was not an authentic speaker of peace.
There was little hope for the world during that time. There was nowhere to point to as a place where those with an authentic hunger for peace were leading the way. So it was very difficult to focus on peace, or see a picture of it in one's head.
Let us honor Barack Obama for helping us think about peace once again. And let us hope that with this leader as a - yet imperfect - guiding star for the entire human race, perhaps we are back on that road.
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