Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Elections

Yesterday was such an odd day---filled with so many differing emotions. We started the day by going to vote. Sienna came with us and I really loved going to our little courthouse as a family to do something so very important. There was definitely a time in my life where I didn't realize the importance of having the right (and privilege) to vote. After the initial excitement of actually being old enough to vote wore off, it was really never a priority for me. That is one of the things I hope to instill in Sienna---a sense that her vote really does matter and that being able to cast a vote for people that have similar goals and values as she does is something never to be taken for granted.
We spent an hour or so at the polls yesterday afternoon handing out push cards and buttons for a friend of ours that was running for Judge. I learned a lot from that experience. First, that I will always be polite to people who are handing out things. I may not be interested in what they have to say or in the product they are selling, but I will be much more aware now of how difficult it is to just walk up to people and hope that they will respond kindly. We definitely had a few bad apples and it was so frustrating to me that some people are so cynical or close-minded that they wouldn't even listen to what we had to say. Overall, people were very kind---they took our little card, read over it and then walked into the polls to make their own decisions---exactly as it should be. I am so proud that he was elected last night and that we played some small part in that victory!
Last night, as the final votes were coming in, I felt a mixture of excitement, surprise and sadness. I am so hopeful today about the direction the country has a chance to go in now. I am sad for those people that I was rooting for that lost out in the end---I know how much hard work went into so many of these campaigns and I will definitely be praying for them over the next few weeks....... Yet I trust the people's decision and I am anxious to see what happens in the coming months.
Mostly, I hope that we can all do a better job at listening to people who have different opinions than our own.....that we can try harder to have an open mind (and heart) and really try to undrestand someone else's viewpoint. I believe politics should be more about the direction we want our country to head and less about competition. It should be more about working together for a greater good and less about whose team you are on. I believe we are ALL more alike than we are unalike and that we all want some of the same basic things in our lives. If we try harder to see our similarities and how we can go about achieving our common goals, I believe there is nothing we can't accomplish!!

1 comment:

Jolene George said...

I agree with everything you wrote. It was so very well said. I'm so glad you enjoyed your time together at the voting polls.

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