The Senior Senator

We had a rare and special treat this morning in a visit from Dick Durbin of Illinois. And there I was all vaklempt at 8:30 a.m.

Durbin recalled the journey that began back in 2004, a journey that he has been on every step of the way. Some of the details were familiar, but many I had never heard.

It was Durbin who first began to take serious note of the effect that Obama was having on the average American citizen. It wasn't the Boston speech that led him to these conclusions but rather the months that followed as Durbin campaigned with the prospective junior senator across the state of Illinois.

At each Illinois town they went from the tiniest towns to the largest cities, they were greeted by overflow crowds. People who had come from neighboring states. Folks who wanted to hear more from the guy with the name they couldn't pronounce.

After the Senate race had been won and Durbin began to work with closely with Obama -- he pulled him aside and planted the idea of a 2008 run.

He said, in politics as in life..."there are times in life when you look for the right moment to make your move...but sometimes the moment picks you. Now is your moment, and even if you lose, you can't lose."

Politics is all about timing, and because so much of life is like that I found the words quite searing. In fact, it reminded me of the words I plan to speak from the pulpit this Sunday.

When we accept the task that destiny seems to have placed before us, we become free.

It is why the fierce urgency of now resonates and why this election feels more important than any one in my memory.

Being 10 feet away from Durbin as he spoke, you can tell he is genuine -- an affable guy with an important job that he truly loves. When he jokingly introduces himself as they guy who introduces Obama, you sense the pride of a father and the sincerity of a good friend. This is the kind of stuff you are likely to miss when you're watching it on t.v. or trying to listen above the bloviators.

The effect is an added element to the total picture of this whole process. Politics, much like ministry, is a helping profession. The strength of the political system also becomes its liability. You need the approval of the public in order to get your job and keep it. The ministry is somewhat...I say somewhat less democratic.

The problem is that all of this need for literal approval makes it hard to just relax and let go into what will be.

This convention allowed me to see some of these public servants with their guard down. Not all, but some...and it did wonders to cure the cynic in me. It gave me a glimpse into the lives of people who have said yes to a moment in time and are truly liberated regardless of the outcome.