Bonding at early voting...

So, it is finished. I voted early. You can stop the elephant and donkey commercials now (pleasant smile).


On arriving at the polls, I went to the end of the early voting line. Yikes, the line was long!!! As I resolutely took my spot, I exclaimed to the young woman who was last in line, "well, you aren't the last one in line now!"


From there, we (she and I) entered into a converation that lasted an hour and 39 minutes as we slowly wended our way to the electronic machines that we both trusted would honor our intended votes.


What did we share during that time? Let's start with the demographics.

She: Young. Young enough that it was her first time to vote in a presidential election.

Me: Older. Way older. Even so, I haven't been a responsible citizen previously, and haven't voted in many elections.

Her party affiliation? Not a clue. She spoke eloquently about the dynamics of the election and our present-day society and she didn't say anything that pissed me off. In time I liked her so much, I didn't want to know her party affiliation.

My party affiliation? Not gonna tell you (smile). I didn't tell her either. So for a nice long time the two of us talked about so many different things. It was like a dance of words. Each of us being careful to honor the impetus behind the American culture that allows each of us, regardless of our political persuasion, to come together in a voting forum.


We talked about Martha Stewart. We approached the subject delicately, but it's safe to say we both agreed that Martha was welcome in our home anytime, and our hope was that she'd get out of jail and make another billion or so. We also talked about the unfairness of her treatment as compared to that of the Enron males. We both agreed we were ashamed of this particular vignette in American history -- whether one was male or female.


We talked about the fabric of society that constitutes the world at large, about our interconnectedness, and the importance of taking responsibility for our own tiny thread within that universal fabric.


By this point, I couldn't tell if the woman in front of us wanted to kill us or join in our conversation (heh-heh), but the voting line was moving along. In any event, the woman in front of us was intently listening to our dialogue.


Finally, one hour and 39 seconds later, the voting machines loomed in front of us. Our conversation had to end. My young waiting line companion turned and glanced at me to say goodbye. We both mumbled something about being glad to have shared the time talking, but the gratitude we shared in our parting glances said it all.


I saw in her eyes the hope of the future and her opportunity to influence it. I hope she saw in my eyes, past hopes that have already been realized and my gratitude for them. Regardless, it was a totally enjoyable time of sharing with a fellow American.


All in all, I guess we never said very much at all about the election!

I'm a Closet Christian

I've tried to keep this a secret from my friends. I'm a Christian. Why am I so reclusive about it? For that matter, what does being a Christian mean to me?

Maybe I'll answer that, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll stay in the closet.

We'll have to see.

Oh the things people say now . . .

Today, a bartender said to me:
"Better to run late than not to run at all."

Later, overheard in line while at the grocery store…
"It's better to be missed than not missed at all."

For me, I found the bartender's remark more appealing. I really don't have much concern about being missed.

Regardless, I'm always fascinated with people's conversations and comments. I'm including my own pontifications in that fascination, as well. I'm often surprised, sometimes shocked, at what comes out of my mouth. Often, my ego overpowers me from retracting things I've said that aren't really in alignment with the kind of person I want to be I don't like that at all. I want to be able to take back the things I've said that are harmful, that are demeaning to others, that are mean-spirited, that are negative, that are downgrading. The list of regrettable things I've said to others is endless. I seem to contribute to it daily.

Why do I want to take back the inappropriate things I say? Because of a deep-seated conviction that words contain the very seed of energy that is behind the creation of everything that is. All power lies within words. In the beginning was the word. I know, we've all heard that. I believe it ... perhaps more in a scientific way than a spiritual way. Matters little.

When spoken, words are like pebbles dropped in a stream. While pebbles create ripples in the water, words generate ripples in the universe that can cause endless harm – or good. At the end of my life, I don't want it on my performance review that I generated a critical mass of negative energy when all I had to do was keep my mouth shut, or consider well my words to others. Wow. I sound so self-righteous. You'd never know that a few hours earlier I called someone a lower extremity orifice or a procreating female canine. Not in those exact words either. I suppose I could take consolation in not having said those things to their faces, but just under my breath. But, that's the point. The fabric of the world is such that we are all connected, and accordingly that fabric is affected by all ill-chosen words. I need to work on this.

Since I haven't done very well in keeping my mouth under control, I guess I can find the heart to forgive our politicians. On the other hand, I wonder if they are aware of the need to choose their words carefully? What they speak into existence -- can and will –- affect us and our world forever. Just like pebbles dropped in a stream.

Maybe tomorrow I'll write about my concerns for archaeologists from the future! I always worry that they will find the ruins of our present day civilization and have not one clue what we were all babbling about. Hell, half the time we don't know what we're all babbling about -- and we're babbling a lot right now. Imagine some poor soul from the future trying to figure it out!

G'night.

Simple but true...

Every day above ground is a good one!

That is all.

My, my...

I'm tardy in writing.

I'll speak from the heart.

I'm thrilled that I live in the U.S. It's as good as it gets.

Let there be no doubt, though. I do NOT support the current Republican administration.

There, now. I've eased the chronic gnawing that has been in my gut for months on end.

G'night all.