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Christi Diggs
on May 23 2013 - 06:00 AM
A drop of spin, a cup of deception and tsp. politics=Apathy
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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 22 2013 - 06:00 AM
When that tornado siren sounds, I'm in the basement
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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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Thanks, Because You Have Given Me the Gift To Choose...
I am sitting here, looking at this document, torn as to what I want to talk about. On one hand, I want to talk about the excitement of the past week-how we elected the President of the United States for another four years, how the politics surrounding this election really fired up my children, fueling their interest and activism for elections to come. Then, on the other side, I have a yearning to talk about gratitude, it being November and all, with not only one day set aside to celebrate our Thanksgiving, but before that day, another one set up to give thanks to the Veterans who have made it possible for us to be able to celebrate, to vote, to choose.
So how about a two-for-one?
By the time Election Day rolled around, everyone, including myself was tired of the campaign ads. When my phone rang I cringed, never really knowing what to expect on the other side of the line. I laughed every time a person from one side of the camp called; trying to figure out just what list I ended up on-I couldn’t make sense of it. I assured the callers of my favorite candidates that I would be at the polls, exercising my right to vote-a right that those women of long ago fought long and hard to attain for me. I wouldn’t let them down.
My kids asked me questions about the issues and I answered them and led them to sources so they could read for themselves. They did mock elections at school and they reported some of the very vocal opinions of some of their classmate-years from now they will be having those same conversations with co-workers and friends, only different candidates and circumstances.
I voted and wore my sticker proudly, then later that evening we attended an election watch party at my local union. Food and drink mixed with whooping and hollering filled that mid-sized room, and again my kids were regaled with stories from people that have been campaigning hard for worker’s rights, trying to encourage people to vote union strong.
My sons fought bedtime, wanting to stay up to the very last count, but mom’s experience told them it could be hours, sometimes days before we really knew. I was lying in bed when I heard my son’s feet stomp down the hall and next, with a booming voice the winner of the Presidential election. Good-now go to bed-I am tired. More so, I was proud that they cared about the leaders of their cities, states and country. This is training for their entry into adulthood, that time when they get to step into the polling place and cast their very first vote.
Now, almost a week later, we are getting ready to celebrate and give thanks to the Veterans that have served our great country. Some have given their lives, have been prisoners of war, others have fought and returned stateside-they have served in the military in one capacity or another. Some continue to be missing in action, leaving families to wonder, to grieve with wide open wounds. These heroes are the reason we have the freedoms that the Constitution provides us, the reason we have a democracy that gives us the privilege of voting for the leaders of our nation. We have the choice to bicker and live in disharmony, or to remember their sacrifice and take one for the team.
This week, I walked into a room full of strangers and helped choose the leaders of a nation, all thanks to the Veterans of today, yesterday and tomorrow. I hope I never forget the sacrifices made.
Happy Veteran’s Day!
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