November Challenge: Day 3

I apologize that this post is so late this evening. I planned on coming home from work and writing today's gratitude, but I ended up taking care of a sick puppy. Then I had to help my mom move some furniture, which turned into a much larger project than originally anticipated. Isn't that how it always seems to happen? Anyways, on to today's intentional gratitude.

Today I am thankful for something that often times I take for granted, which is Election Day. Honestly, sometimes I even think of voting as a burden, one more task I have to get done in my day, but the ability to voice your opinions and have them actually matter is a tremendous blessing. The ability to cast your vote or live in a democratic state is not a privilege that everyone is able to enjoy. There are plenty of people who are actively fighting each day for the right to an election. I think that it is important that each of us exercise this right. We might not always like our choices and we are certainly not going to get our way everytime, but at least our voices count and have the potential to shape the world around us. That is truly a wonderful thought. Our voice, our opinion, and our beliefs matter to our elected officials. We have the ability to create dramatic change by simply exercising our right to cast a vote in an election. 

Personally, I am not in favor of politics because it always seems to drive a wedge between people. I don't believe a political party should be the determining factor for why a person is elected, but not everyone agrees with me. I am much more interested in the basis of a person's argument than their politcal party, education, experience, or promises, but other people find they need to know these details of a person's life before they can listen to their argument. The point is not to start a political debate about the most effective way to vote or choose an elected official, but to point out that we all do things differently. We all have our own opinions, our own way of thinking, and our own beliefs about how things should run, but that doesn't mean anyone should be put down for their differences. The beautiful thing about democracy is that each of us is allowed to be different and to shape our world through our differences. Every voice maters. Voting allows us to maintain our democracy and that makes Election Day a tremendous blessing in my life today.