I voted

I woke up yesterday morning in the hospital with Jay and thought, "Hmm maybe I won't go vote," and then Jay stirred and said, "I have to get out, so I can go vote."

I left the hospital early to spend the morning with the kids, and help get them off to school. I dropped them off and was going over the morning in my mind. I was talking with my neighbor on the phone and we passed each other in our cars and she mentioned that she had just left our poling place and there was not a wait. I turned the car around and headed over. My thoughts this morning, and all along have been not too thrilled with either choice for the presidency. I thought that maybe I wouldn't even vote, because really what would my one vote do? And I also thought that what if every one of us that felt that way, just did not vote? How would that be? We would we have no one to blame, but ourselves when things did not go as we would like. So I voted. And I did not have to wait in line. I was in and out. At least now I can say, I did my part. I exercised my rights, and also my duty to make a choice.

Jay was released from the hospital and we went straight to the poll to vote. This time we had to wait in line. But Jay was glad to be there. I don't think that he would have missed it. We talked with others in line. Everyone there cared about our country. Everyone cared enough to get out and make a choice.

Jack came home very bothered about the mock elections at school. He had been teased about his vote. And there were some very nasty things said about his selection.
That is something I can not stand. I can't stand the negative, and the hate aimed at either side. Even if a candidate is not who I support, I will not participate in the mean, and hateful mockery. I felt sad that these 3rd graders were just repeating what they had heard. They did not really know, but they were speaking based on what they have heard and probably what they have been hearing at home.

We talked about voting, and about how we did not have to share with others who we voted for. It is not something we have to discuss. I held to that, and would not share with my family my decision. Not even with Jay. And I recognize that the time will come when I will need to stand up and share my political views. To make a stand.

But for now I can just be glad that I made a choice. That I did my duty, I exercised my right and I participated in this election. It is a day I will remember. I participated in writing history.