3. More. Days.
I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or do I? This election season, more than any I can remember in my 40 years on this earth, has brought out the nastiness and vitriol and a general lack of respect for people's opinions like nothing I've ever seen.
At the end of the day Tuesday, the votes will be cast. Here's hoping that everyone who can vote actually DOES vote. And then one candidate will have prevailed over all the others. And we will go to bed late Tuesday night ... and awake Wednesday morning with the rest of our lives ahead of us.
Whether your candidate wins or loses ... whether my candidate wins or loses ... from the top of the ticket to the lowest position on the ballot ... wide sweeping reforms won't happen overnight. Big broad changes won't be in place by Thursday. And I have news for you: no matter who wins, whether you supported them or not, those wide sweeping changes you crave (or fear - depending on who wins and where you stand) won't happen for awhile. If at all. Change on a broad scale can take time. There are obstacles. People need to get organized and make plans and write bills and enact them.
You know what doesn't take waiting for a long time? One someone choosing to do one something. As one person, I might not be making widespread national impact changes on Wednesday. Or on any other day. But I am making a difference.
I can look at the needs in MY community. Hungry kids? We can donate to the local foodbank. Cold kids? I have winter coats that my little has outgrown and they're in good shape. I can donate to the HS coat drive. A neighbor who is sick and shut in? My kids and I can make a meal. A mama healing from surgery? I can be the carpool brigade for her kiddos.
Know what? YOU can do the same. It's not sweeping vast public policy changes. It's close to home impact people changes. And I daresay that politics aside ... making a difference in families right here is a much better way for me to change the world than ranting about how my candidate or your candidate did or didn't do something that they said they would.
Taking matters into my own hands. Using my voice to vote and then using what I have to give back and help someone else.
Because in my world: these are the things that matter. Empathy. Kindness. Compassion. Love. Beyond the voting booth and into the community, I choose to make a difference, however small it may seem - it's not small to those on the receiving end.
On Wednesday - and every day - may we wake up and give back. The light at the end of the tunnel: #LoveOn
