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So why did I take time out of my day today to vote – confession time:

It is:

1. NOT because I have a deep belief that my vote actually makes a difference in the grand scheme of things as suggested in the picture above

2. NOT because I  feel guilty because of those who have given up their lives for this privilege – though that is true, and I am grateful

3. NOT because I feel like I even have a civic duty to do so

4. NOT because I enjoy getting bothered on the way into the polling place this morning with my 20 month old son who celebrated by several of the candidates’ groups as a “potential voter” in a few short years, and the actually trying to give him promotional materials. . . really??  Along with this came many people telling me how cute  he was. . . . at least that part is true – he really takes after his mother!

So why then did I vote . . . . ?

1. Simply put – I want to be able to speek my opinion to others and engage in the debate all year long. It is my belief that in order to do so without serious loads of hypocrisy, I need to put some action to my belief – engage in some level of physcal responsibility to my philosophical exercises of thought (especially if those exercises EVER involve complaints). It really does remind me of James 2:20 “. . .faith without works is dead” – because there is no evidence of your faith acutally being alive if there are no corresponding actions. Similarly (but in the contrapositive form), putting forth my vote on this day allows me to engage in lively/respectful discourse at other times because my voting has demonstrated LIFE in my beliefs.

2. Funny, but also true – I always love meeting new people in the line, and hearing just a bit of their story. . . . usually these are people I would never otherwise meet, and maybe. . . just maybe, I can bring some encouragement, and that itself is worth it! 

If you have not voted today I encourage you to do it . . . . for whatever reason you choose!