My One - And Only - Political Post

I love the voting process. I like waving to the folks standing outside the polling place with their campaign signs (I'm an equal opportunity waver too, I just respect that they have convictions). I like standing in line among my fellow Marylanders, carefully chatting with them (don't want to get in a tussle), and I like pulling the curtain and casting my ballot. It's a great privilege and responsibility.

We live in a country where each of our citizens of voting age can go freely to the polls and vote in anonymity without fear of intimidation or violence. That is big.

We live in a country where our votes are counted correctly (aside from certain ballots in Florida) and our voices heard, even if the candidate of our liking does not win. That is big.

We live in a country where no candidate wins with 99% of the vote. That is very big. If you don't think so, check out how elections go in the Middle East or Africa or Central Asia.

Be thankful for your right to vote. If you don't like either candidate write in Santa Clause, or Nelson Mandela (the most widely respected person in the world in a recent poll), or even your own name. It's worth it - it's big.

And as we learn tonight whether Obama will continue in the Oval Office or Romney will step in, please remember this big truth too ... The President of the United States, whomever that is, isn't going to change America.

WE ARE.

It is, as it has always been, up to us to spread hope, and move this country and our people forward.

It's my husband and his partners who built a small company (and yes, they did build it) and try to do the right thing for their employees everyday, providing them with excellent health care and retirement plans despite continuously skyrocketing costs to do so.

It's a childhood friend and my brother-in-law, who both work faithfully, tirelessly to show the youth of this country the way to succeed, to believe in themselves, to rise above. By the way, these two fine people are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Doesn't matter - they do it for the good of the kids.

It's my friend across the street, who consistently volunteers her time, voice, effort and yes, money, to the people and places and organizations who are trying to make a difference in our community.

It's the teachers at Owen's school who work long hours for very little salary because they believe in combining faith and life and education.

It's a high school friend (and my prom date) who founded a grassroots effort to provide clean drinking water to villages around the globe. A simple well has the power to change and save lives.

It's the senior citizen who goes to the local animal shelter on weekends to help care for the cats and dogs waiting for a family.

It's a good friends teenage daughter, who started a campaign to provide baskets of books to children moving into Habitat for Humanity homes.

It's my dad, who volunteers his time to help other Bell retirees continue to receive the benefits they were promised by a company they worked for their entire careers - benefits that he himself is assured of.

It's the people who decided to organize a local clothing and food drive for our fellow citizens so impacted last weekend by Hurricane Sandy. And it's all those who donated.

It's moms, and especially those who dig deep every day to make the world a better place for their special needs children - and in doing so help all children.

And of course it's our military men and women, our firemen, police and first responders (and all of their families) who stand ready to protect us, to defend us, to save us in times of hardship and tragedy.

IT'S ALL OF US.

I saw this posted on facebook ... When you're done at your local poll station, spend some time researching the grassroots organizations in your own community that are truly changing the world. Not millions of people at a time but one person, one family, one child, one animal at a time. Because those folks, the ones with boots on the ground, dirty hands from packing boxes of supplies, collecting and distributing furniture and bedding, gathering clothing and feeding the hungry....they spread hope. Tangible Hope. And hope is the only thing that truly drives America or any country forward. Re-elected President, newly elected President...their impact is so much smaller than the impact any one of us can have on moving America forward. Right now. Hope doesn't subscribe to a political party, it subscribes only to the human spirit and its capacity to create and deliver change.