From China - a week in history.

forwarded email:

I thought you'd like to read this letter from my French business colleague who was meeting in Shanghai on our election day.  It was very moving to me.

If you find his letter as inspiring as I did and wish to share it with others, you may forward it.  I asked his permission and received same.  Many thanks, Sharon

Emailed to Sharon on November 9, 2008 from her French business colleague, Michael.
Subject line: From China - a week in history.

To all my American Friends,

I know this past week has brought joy to some of you and  
disappointment to some others. I genuinely respect your convictions,  
but I want to share with you what I have seen on the other side of  
the earth.

On Thursday, November 5 at 12 am in Shanghai (15 hours ahead of the West Coast),  
I was in a business meeting with Chinese people.  Suddenly the door  
opened and someone just said "Obama".  Everybody stood up and we all  
went downstairs to the main open space floor. The room was silent.  
Everybody was standing and gathering around the only two computers  
connected to the Internet. Then managers went out from their offices to  
join the rest of the staff.

There was no shout, no emotions... but suddenly everyone started to  
congratulate each other. There were some foreigners - mainly French,  
Australian and a few Americans. Everyone went to cheer and  
congratulate the Americans.

A Chinese director of the company came to me and whispered : "For the  
first time in my life, I really understand what means democracy. It is  
this amazing moment when people decide to take in hand their destiny  
to change the fate of their country".

At this very moment, I felt the same overwhelming emotion that

I had forgotten...

This was history - when history comes as a beautiful tidal  
wave - reaching every part of the world.

Later that day, I came across American people walking in the streets  
waving proudly their American passports among cheers and applause from  
the crowd... I have seen parties where Champagne was replaced by Coca- 
Cola!

One of my friends told me "You see, that is why America will remain the  
leader for a long time.  They show the way to the rest of us - they  
invent the future."

I went back to my hotel and checked the French newspapers on the Internet. In the  
most respected "Le Monde", a reporter had written his column in  
English - ending it with, "Today, we are all Americans!"

After less than a week, some US companies are already deluged with job  
applications and official news agencies are reporting a sudden sales  
boom on American brands.

Then I realized that the new President of the United States of America  
is my age... It was time to go to bed, with stars in my head - stars  
and stripes, of course.