Ballot Casting For Fun and Prophet

My wife and I stood in line at the polls this morning at 5:55am, trying to make sure we were among the first to cast our ballots for the person who we believe will best execute the office of President of the United States. To my shock and surprise, about 150 people had the same idea.

It was everything I could do to keep from bursting into tears as I was overcome with the emotion of the moment. I've been voting since I was 18 and usually at 6am to beat the lines. Today was the first time I had ever seen this kind of participation in the American democracy and it gave me hope that we may be finally shaken out of the complacency that has plagued us for so long. Yes, it took the mess that we find our economy in and the endless war that we're embroiled in to get the public he move, but we have finally moved.

And it seems like everyone wants to do their part to move the nation forward. I spoke with a coffee house owner friend of mine yesterday and he related the story of a young man who registered to vote for the first time during this election cycle. The owner asked if the young man was going to vote and he said that he would if he has the energy. He works long hours of manual labor and would have to cast his ballot early. Then he joked, "if I had a cappuccino, I could make it." So my coffee house owner friend said that he would give him free coffee if he votes. Then that expanded to everyone. If you vote, my friend will give you free coffee. I have also heard other places doing that, or free doughnuts or something that gives the extra push to give people the incentive to vote.

The great part about that is that I went to the coffee house earlier today and everyone was offering to pay for their coffee anyway. They weren't there for a freebie, they were there because they figured they'd be able to talk to fellow voters and discuss the historic enormity of this campaign. If one side wins, we get our first African American president. If the other side wins, we get our first female vice-president. And both candidates are talking about change.

I think that points up the current administrations problems. There has been such an executive branch evacuation of responsibility that the country is currently directionless. We have a president, but we don't have a leader. This happens in our personal lives if we are not focused on gratitude and positivity. If we become complacent, life happens to us instead of us creating our own life. Things are going pretty well for me because I have set aside my time for meditation to quiet my ego. And I am infused with the positive feelings I have from being grateful for the gifts of my life.

And my quest continues to create the best possible life. This election, regardless of outcome, leaves me feeling grateful that more people are engaged and taking an active interest in what happens in their lives. By seeing that, I am convinced we are inching forward to the day we create (borrowing from Eckhart Tolle) our New Earth.