Today, Presidential Candidate Barack Obama's grandmother, Madeline Dunham lost her battle with cancer. During what is arguably one of the most challenging and emotional times of the race for the Presidency, Obama has lost one of the most important people in his life.
There has been ongoing commentary about Obama's ability to stand up to a test of his leadership. That there are those who will want to test his mettle, to see if he can deal with the toughest of choices. Here's a newsflash, he already has.
Obama made the tough decision to campaign, knowing that his grandmother was gravely ill. He felt called to serve his country and that call conflicted with his dedication to the one woman who stood by his side and helped him grow into the leader he is today. Think he doesn't know what it is like to sacrifice for his country? Think again.
He has chosen a path of leadership that will ask him to put the needs of this country above all else, including his family and his personal opinions. He must, at all times, be objective enough to see all available options and chose, in good conscience, what is best for America.
My grandmother raised me, too. I made the decision to move back to take care of her when she was dying. During that time, my whole life was on hold. Our whole family gathered around her and took care of her in her home.
Shortly after I arrived, my cousin, a police officer, was notified that he had been accepted into the highway patrol academy. We have a long history of service through law enforcement in our family, and my cousin deeply believed that he had an opportunity to make the world a better place. And he felt it was an honor to be invited to join the academy.
The catch was, it started immediately. And, there is no calling in or out, and no visits. It was an incredibly hard decision to make...and in the end, he chose to go. We all supported his decision, though that didn't make it any easier.
My cousin wasn't there when my grandmother died. He finished the academy and went on to become an amazing and inspiring trooper. I can't imagine how hard it was for him to focus on his training, knowing he might not see her again. He followed a call to protect and serve his community, and it required him to think about the common good, his fellow man. It required him to sacrifice for his country. Sadly, he later made the ulitmate sacrifice when he was killed in the line of duty.
My point in all of this is to say, Obama has already made an incredible personal sacrifice for this country. And, he was objective enough to know that he must pursue his campaign, despite the impending loss of his grandmother. This is a man who is a strong and committed leader, and I have no doubt that he is fully capable of defending this country with no reservation. His actions show he is up to the challenge.
