Don't get nervous, I am not going to endorse a candidate here, or even tell you who I voted for (and yes, my absentee ballot has already been mailed). Watching the debate last night, however, helped me to realize something.
When I was young, even elementary-school age, the choice always seemed so cut-and-dried. I think that basically, whoever my parents were for, I was for. I was all-in, even in the mock elections in school...I wore my campaign buttons and notebook stickers proudly. I simply took it for granted that "my" candidate was the only candidate worth voting for.
Later on, as a young adult, whoever my circle of friends was for, I was for. We always seemed to be in agreement (perhaps, if anyone wasn't, they just kept their mouths shut). I now realize that this was all part of being accepted. While we pretended to discuss the issues heatedly, we were really just playing at being grownups. We wanted to belong to something.
It's only in the last three or four Presidential elections that I truly feel that I've given this decision, this privilege, the serious consideration it deserves. Sometimes my candidate lost, other times my candidate won. But I still felt as if I was truly engaged in the process and making the decision on who I felt would be best for me, my family and the country.
The point of this rambling exercise is to say that voting is a privilege. Please do it. Vote for the candidate you feel, in your heart and soul, is the best candidate. Vote your conscience and your instinct. Vote because you can. And most of all, regardless of the outcome of the election, vote because you are part of something great and something good.
End of ramble.
No comments:
Post a Comment