Matters That Matter ®

The mid-term elections are over.

Yes, I voted.

No, I wasn’t happy with the results.

Thankfully I didn’t have to add insult to injury with the guilt I would have felt if I hadn’t sent in my ballot. From my first experience going to the polls and filling out my ballot in the privacy of a voting booth, to dropping my ballot in the mail a few days ago, the responsibility for each of us to vote has always, well, had my vote. While not the only way, it sure as heck is one way that I can participate in the making of this messed up, amazing, imperfect, miraculous country of ours. It is my way of weighing in on what matters to me and pushing for those things I think should matter to us all.  If I can’t muster the  energy and commitment to vote, I’d better keep my mouth shut if I don’t like how things are going around here.

According to some statistics, voter turnout reached new lows that haven’t been seen since the 1940s.  Back then it was probably  due in part to the number of people off fighting in World War II. Today, perhaps we are so busy fighting one another, not to mention the battle to just make it through another day, that we simply forget that voting matters. We’ve become battle weary and therefore wary that our vote can make even one whit of difference.  So we just give up, give in and give over the reins to someone else. And then resent the hell out of “them” for the mess “they” are making of things.

Those dismal statistics got me thinking about the importance of casting our vote and the sacred privilege of having a say in the state of our union.  Which got me  thinking about a different kind of election.  The race for who and what controls the state of my union.  Who do I elect to lead my internal homeland?  Whose voice will govern my life? There are plenty of candidates seeking my vote and like any good  political campaign, each has a platform designed to get my vote.  Not surprisingly, they usually sit on opposite sides of the aisle.

Love                                        Fear

Grace                                     Judgment

Contentment                         Comparison

Surrender                              Strife

Faith                                       Doubt

Passion                                 Apathy

Defensive                               Curious 

Responsibility                        Blame

My thoughts, choices, actions and words become the ink that fills in the boxes next to the candidates on my personal ballot. This is a battleground state if there every was one.  If I don’t show up to vote I can’t blame someone else for the results.

Every day is election day.

Every day I have a clean ballot.

Every day I get to vote.

What a privilege.