I couldn’t bear to watch the Democratic convention last night. The Republican event was so nauseating that I feared almost the same from the Dems – not of course the same level of hypocrisy and white bread smugness, but all that flag-waving the greatest country on earth hoo ha … couldn’t take it. Luckily, though, my friend Bruce emailed how brilliant Michelle was, and I just watched her speech on YouTube.

And am still mopping my tears. Wow, what a knock out! Thank you, Michelle, for reminding us all of what really matters. Give those speechwriters a raise. The shots of the audience – orthodox Jews, elderly black women plastered with slogans, kids, gay couples, every nationality and demographic – as opposed to the Republicans who kept showing the one black man on the convention floor. Michelle’s speech was so heartfelt, so powerful in invoking the idealistic core values we all cherish – love for family, sacrifice, courage, tolerance, patience, hope. Of course, we know what reality will do to all that, and political expedience. But I believed every warm, thoughtful and generous word she said. One of the best speeches ever. He’s a lucky man.

It’s the beginning of September; how did that happen? A hint, a bite in the air, a freshness. As if announcing the change, yesterday, the first day of school, was dark and dire with rain so torrential that roads were closed. My friend Chris’s plane took off, though, and he made it home to Vancouver, where the sun was shining. It feels as if a close member of the family has gone away, and I mourn his absence. But he’ll be back. On Monday, we had a barbecue with a variety of friends, and then watched a Japanese movie my son had picked: “Jiro dreams of sushi,” about a master sushi maker. It’s stunning – really about excellence, about finding something you love and learning to do it well and struggling all your life to do it better. A life lesson in the meticulous slicing of raw tuna. Highly recommended.

So – on into fall – my heart lifted by a wise and beautiful American woman.