Image by Jeff Kubina via Flickr
I can barely write this post for emotion. Today, I will go and vote. My husband and I will go together. Our polling place is a short walk down a tree-lined street from our home. When I lived in Deephaven, it was another peaceful walk to an orderly polling place in a well-kept school. For years, I took my children with me to vote. While we waited together, we talked about how lucky we were as a nation to have the privilege of free elections, and what the cost had been to keep them free. We talked about how people sacrifice in other countries just for the privilege of doing what we waited in a peaceful line to do, with smiling helpers, and friends and neighbors. Now all five of Pete’s and my children are of voting age. Our youngest two will be voting in their very first elections today.
I spoke with my son, whose 21st birthday is today, last night. He was still undecided, but leaning. He fervently wanted to make the best choice. So, we talked about where he might get more information online, and different ways of looking at the whole that would arise out of voting for its parts. I am proud of him. It’s his vote, his decision to make. He has an entire lifetime ahead of him to experience and learn from choices.
James Vellecott, AP
I think of the story I heard out of Fallujah from a U.S. Marine. They were instructed to set up a polling place even though the city had been deserted by civilians during many weeks of battle with insurgents. The tables were ready and guarded. Hours passed and no one came. Then appeared one man, alone. He asked the interpreter if it was safe to vote, and was assured. This one man lifted his arm, beckoning, and along the horizon, they showed themselves. Hundreds of people, walking out of their desert hiding places, helping the old ones, with their children in hand, risking their lives, coming to vote.
Pete and I are heading into our autumn. We’ve learned from the consequences of making reflex choices. And we know that even out of what seems to be a not-so-good collective choice, a phoenix can arise. So we have faith in the wisdom of the people, the foundation of our Constitution, and the goodness of our country. We will take that short, peaceful walk, cast our vote, and be thankful.
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Peter and Betsy Wuebker are location-independent professionals who share what they know about travel, simplicity and integrating work with life. 
Thanks for this post. It’s so easy to take our rights for granted, but not having it has devastating consequences.
I’ve actually never voted in my life. I am still a Japanese citizen, though I never lived in Japan all my adult life. Japan doesn’t officially allow dual-citizenship. On voting days every time I think about whether I want to become an American. It’s a conflict between wanting to get involved in the decision-making where I live, and allegiance/loyalty/identity of which nation I associate with.
As of today, I am still a Japanese citizen. I do want to vote, but I am not quite in a place where I feel comfortable pledging my allegiance to US.
ari
Ari Koinuma´s last blog post..Fear of Success: Why, and How to Beat It
Hi Ari – I understand. One of my best friends is Canadian, and she recently got her U.S. citizenship, and is voting in her first U.S. election. It was a long decision, and it’s hard to change your allegiance. I doubt if I could do it. I know you’ll do what is right for you. Meanwhile, we’re glad to have you!
We ARE lucky to have our civil rights and freedoms. We should never take them for granted.
So many people vote based on anything other than research into the candidates’ policies. It’s wonderful that your family is actually doing research prior to voting.
Betsy, what a refreshing take on politics! Thank you! Hope you enjoy your peaceful autumn walk.
Davina´s last blog post..A Ghostly Life Experience
I too walked with my youngest to cast my vote this morning. Unlike every other time I’ve voted since moving to Florida, this time I had to stand in line to make my voice heard.
I was also alarmed by the poll worker. In Florida we have to show ID, sign our name AND fill in a circle beside our name. I showed my ID and signed my name. After two sweeps of the pen in the circle, the poll worker tried to wave me off. “That’s good enough,” she said.
“NO!” I replied. “The instructions say to FILL IN the circle so please, allow me to follow the instructions so my vote will count.”
It’s scary to think that others votes may not count because they were waved off because there was a line!
Kathy @ Virtual Impax´s last blog post..Sneak Peak at WordPress 2.7 Dashboard
Hi Betsy – what a great story. We are so lucky to have that freedom aren’t we. This story reminds me of what we witnessed on tv when folk were frightened to vote against Mugabe in Africa. That must be a terrible feeling – being ruled by a monster, yet too afraid to vote against him.
Your elections are different to ours in the UK. We vote for whoever is in power already, or the opposition. There’s more than 2 different parties here – but really it’s only a choice between the existing Prime Minister and one other guy. The others never get as many votes. I guess there’s people wanting to vote for this, but it always seems like you’re wasting your vote.
Cath Lawson´s last blog post..Affiliate Commissions: Don’t Get Screwed
Hi Vered – Thank you. I am happy my son chose to look up issues and base his process on research. Being 21, his context and perspective will differ from ours, although I was happy to know he was leaning our way.
We’ll see.
Hi Davina – It was a lovely, warm day here in Minnesota. Now we’ll watch the news until we have to go to bed. Tomorrow, hopefully, all will be decided. Thanks!
Hi Kathy – good for you for being assertive. The last thing we want is a similar situation to hanging chad! We don’t have to show ID in Minnesota and it makes me mad. You have to show ID to do almost everything else!
Hi Cath – I’ve often wondered how other countries keep all the various parties straight. The others aside from our two main ones never really amount to much except fringe. I just can’t imagine having to risk my life to exercise my franchise. I wonder if I’d be strong enough to do so. Here, a lot of judges ran unopposed, so I didn’t vote for them.