Thankful for the political process(even when it doesn’t play out the way I’d hoped)

The day after a big election always leaves me feeling hung-over.  I stayed up too late, eating the Fiend’s Halloween candy (shhh, don’t tell!) and refreshing the local paper’s election results page every 2 minutes or so.  As with most of the country, the races here were tighter than David Bowie’s costume in Labyrinth and there were several upsets.  It was a real nail biter.   I looked like this for most of the night:

I'm freaking out!

 

That being said, man am I thankful I live in a democratic republic.  Thank god that in this country leadership is determined by the ballot and not the bullet.  Thank god that in a few years we can throw ‘em all out and try again.

 

American citizens have been given a gift through the sacrifice of our forefathers at the birth of our great nation.  The gift of a voice.  This is not inconsequential.  It is easy to get disheartened and disillusioned.  It is easy to say it doesn’t matter anyway, things will never change.

 

Things will never change.  Unless we make the decision to change them.  And then put in the work to do so.

 

Exercising your right to vote is the smallest step in process of change.  The rest requires a good deal of hard work and dedication.  But aren’t you worth it?  Isn’t your family worth it?  Your friends?  Your neighbors?  Your children and grandchildren.

 

I’m here to tell you this:  You are worth it.  Each and every one of you.  Whether we agree or disagree.  You are welcome, in fact encouraged, to come to the table and make this a better world.

 

What’s stopping you?

The Hard Work of Change

Change was the watchword of this most recent election cycle.  The promise of change brought voters to the polls in greater numbers than this country has seen in decades. The promise of change drew out people who had never voted before, many of them Americans who have felt disenfranchised and dismissed.  The promise of change called people to action, creating a new generation of organizers and activists.

 

These things are thrilling in and of themselves.  Congratulations America, you are now engaged.  You are now empowered.

 

But we can not be content to rest on the laurels of a job well done because the job is not done.  The job will never be done because we can always do better.  We can always do better because we live in a country whose government was designed to adapt and improve.

 

It’s not enough to have elected new leaders.  It is not enough to have turned out on one day to make our voices heard.  It is not enough to have accepted the promise of change.

 

These new leaders must be held to their platforms and made accountable to their constituents.   We must continue to make our voices heard.  We must put our bodies, minds, hearts and souls into the hard work of promised change.

 

Change can not happen without our continued participation.  Change can not happen without our continued commitment.  Change can not happen without our continued sacrifice.

 

Change requires blood, sweat and tears.  The hours may be long.  There may be days we don’t want to carry on.  But change does not come without sacrifice.

 

Change requires dedication.  The road ahead may get rocky.  There may be days we want to quit.  But change does not come without steadfast determination.

 

Change requires belief.  Our faith may be tested.  There may be days we feel our actions lead only to futility.  But change does not come without surrender to hope. 

 

Change requires courage.  The world may present us with incredible challenges.  There may be days we feel the urge to succumb to fear.  But change does not come without bravery.

 

Change requires love.  Love of self, love of country, love of each other.  Our differences may tear at the fabric of our nation.  There may be days we can not agree.  But change can not come without a unified commitment to each other.

 

In order to reach our greatest potential, as individuals, as neighborhoods, as communities, as states, as a country, we must all stand up and be counted.  We must each bear our share of the burden.  We must contribute to the cause.  We must work together.  We must transcend our differences to give strength to our commonalities.

 

So do not stop now.  Stay informed.  Stay involved.  Stay engaged.  Stay empowered.  The hard work of change lies ahead.