I'm not very good at this. Politics. Democrats vs. Republicans. I don't know everything that I probably should know about the candidates. But I'm still voting.
Being a first time Mommy and a first time voter, I must say that I got a little emotional at the polls on Tuesday. For the last few weeks, our preacher has talked about being "politicked". He has opened my eyes and relieved my stress by making it very clear that everything that happens, will happen because it is God's plan. HE has already chosen the leader for our nation. HE will show us the truth in all this mess, we just have to have faith.
My friends will probably judge me for saying this, but I actually stood there and contemplated which candidate was worthy of my vote last Tuesday. Donkey or elephant? One is an exceptional speaker and could keep my attention for hours upon hours. The other is a clearly defined "hero" in every aspect of the word. So, the question I asked myself, being so ever elementary, was this: Do I want someone who can talk their way out of a fight or scare the living daylights out of a bully? I looked down at my son and his life slowly flashed before my eyes and in the flashing of the bright lights I heard a voice. The voice of Truth.
I saw Grayson as an eighteen year old man headed off to fight for our country and my heart just broke into a million pieces. I had to literally choke back tears as I reached down to grab my voter's card.
I saw him as a twenty four year old graduate looking so proud receiving his diploma and Kevin and myself wiping away tears of joy because we were able to send him to an amazing college where he could receive an amazing education.
I saw him as a father of two, married to the love of his life, and enjoying all of the goodness that having a family brings while living in a beautiful home that he could afford.
And then, I saw him as a fifty year old man, retiring from his career that he had worked long and hard for and making plans to take his wife on a round trip vacation to Italy to celebrate.
It was a flash, but I saw it all.
I don't consider myself to be either conservative or liberal. I do lean more towards the conservative side now that I'm older and a mother. If you knew me 6 years ago, you would strongly disagree. I was the life of the party, living in Austin, Texas (the most liberal city I've ever known) hanging out on Sixth Street, "liberaling" it up with the best of them.
I'd never thought twice about voting, because in all honesty, I didn't care. I'm not that person any more. Not even close.
I believe our government should help those who are legitimately helpless and should always put the interests of America first.
And that's where I was stuck.
Politicked.
I'm concerned about the future of my son and his country. I'm worried that the silent majority of honest, hard-working, tax-paying people in this country have been passive for too long. Most people I know choose not to involve themselves in politics. They go about their daily lives, paying their bills, raising their kids, and doing what they can to maintain the good life. They don't vote because they don't know whom to vote for. They shake their heads at the political authorities and so-called 'news', thinking that what they hear is always spun by whomever is reporting it. They can't understand how elected officials can regularly violate the public's trust. They don't want government handouts. They want the government to protect them, not raise their taxes for more government programs.
I voted on Tuesday, not because I think our President should be an articulate speaker and not entirely because I think our President should kick some Bin Laden booty. I voted because I think it matters. It means I have faith in someone. It means I trust someone to keep our nation, and my family, safe. If we must go to war, then we must. If we must radically change our spending in order to make sure that my son has a retirement plan, so be it. I vote for the person, not because he's a Republican or Democrat, but because he WILL lead this nation.
I don't believe there are 'two Americas ' but that every person in this country can be whomever and whatever they want to be if they'll just work to get there and I believe that nowhere else on earth will they find such opportunities.
I don't agree with John McCain on everything - but I am utterly convinced that he is qualified to be our next President, and I trust him to do what's right. I know in my heart that he has the best interests of our country in mind. He doesn't simply want to be President - he wants to lead America, and there's a huge difference.
Factually, there is simply no comparison between the two candidates. A man of questionable background and motives, who rattles on about change, can't hold a candle to a man who has devoted his life in public service to this nation, retiring from the Navy and then being elected to the Senate.
We have a unique position in this country to elect our leaders. It's a privilege to do so. It's a privilege to be an American. I doubt that anyone has ever found a candidate in any election with whom they agreed on everything. I know I haven't. I'll bet that most of us don't even agree with our families or spouses 100% of the time.
So as I stepped into that voting booth on Tuesday, for the very first time in 29 years, I tried so very hard to look at the big picture and cast my vote for the man who I thought was best qualified for the job. The job of keeping America safe. I don't like war as much as the next mother, but I believe as an American, we have to fight for everything we want. We have to fight to remain free.
There's a lot of evil in this world. That should be apparent to all of us by now. And when faced with that evil as we are now, I want a man who knows the cost of war on his troops and on his citizens. I want a man who puts my family's interests before any foreign country.
I want a President who's qualified to lead.
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I'm not very good at this, but I am a Mom and a very good one at that. I don't know everything I should about being a Mom but that doesn't stop me from being one.
Go vote, even if you're not very good at it.
