I woke up in the middle of the night and checked the clock. It read 2:22, and those numbers got me to thinking about our presidential election.
Every four years we elect a new president. The race starts many months before the November election day concludes the process. Our country was right in the middle of it for 22 months. I take that back; they were not right in the middle, they were on opposite sides. Most everyone chooses sides from the beginning. This is how our Constitution works. I am very thankful that our founding fathers wrote down the process for us. We have smooth transitions of our presidential power unlike many other places in the world. We don’t worry about how it will happen; it just does.
The process of electing a new president is costly and polarizing. We are inundated with news, campaign commercials, robo phone calls and political conversation. The cost of the campaigns reaches into the billions of dollars. It is not the cost in money that bothers me; it is the price we all pay in our well-being. The negativity and ill will eats away at us like a cancer. I am thankful that the campaigning has ended and we can go about our business.
I have been involved in political campaigns for all my adult life. I have even been on a few ballots myself, and lost an election by 27 votes because people didn’t get out and vote. What we have seen these past 22 months has been a miracle when it comes to the apathy that I have experienced over the years. The people were excited about both campaigns. The people were working, giving their hard-earned dollars and feeling empowered. They came out and voted in numbers that have never been seen before, and the percentages of registered voters voting was the highest in 100 years. Every vote counts, and casting your ballot is your right to speak your mind for your candidate.
As I watched the returns last week, I saw the red states and blue states get marked on the maps. I got to thinking about those colors and wondered who picked them anyway. Yes, we love color codes, but now that the election is over, so let’s all come together. In the pictures on television I saw all colors; we are not just black or white and red or blue. As we sang in Sunday school, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.
I would not want to have the job of President of the United States. In fact, I respect all people who do jobs that do not bring me joy. Now that the election is over, I think, Now is the Time to celebrate the fact that it is over. As Michael my Vice President said it best this morning on his Yahoo Instant Messenger Memo, “The Race is Over! America Wins!”
I am proud to be an American. Since the United States of America is a combination of all colors, let’s just blend the red and blue states together and go Purple! One Nation under God and purple mountain majesties. Let’s give our new President-elect Obama the respect that his office deserves and work together with him and all of our newly elected officials to make our communities a great place to live! Let there be Peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.
For more help getting rid of your CHAOS, check out Marla Cilley’s website and join her free mentoring group at www.FlyLady.net, listen to her www.blogtalkradio.com/flylady show, or read her books, Sink Reflections, published by Bantam, and her New York Times bestselling book, Body Clutter, published by Fireside. Copyright 2008 Marla Cilley. Used by permission in this publication.
Share
Contributors
