Tuesday, November 3rd 2020

 

"The birds will wing from the weather,

 while I stand still as the harvest

 with the sound of Fall in the air."

 

~Carolyn Kizer 

 

 

I pray that those who have yet to cast their vote, do so today with the seriousness that voting in a democracy calls for. I pray that no violence breaks out, and that no one is harmed. I pray for peace. Pray for my friends, my Twitter family, the celebrities I admire, the lady I spoke to, late last spring, who was a Republican from the state of Michigan. She and I had little in common politically, but so very much if we had just been two ladies, who had just met, standing in line at the grocery store. We began our conversation arguing over mask mandates, ended our conversation laughing about seed catalogs and what folks were willing to wear on their faces, while waiting for masks to become available. I don't think I will ever forget her. We had so much more in common, then we had dividing us. That conversation gave me hope, and that meant a lot to me. I had no idea how much worse it would all get, because you can't prepare for the damage Trump is capable of causing, but I knew it would get worse, and it did. All summer long. It was a long, sad, dark summer.

 

 Fast forward. I voted on October 12th, 2020. A crystal clear Autumn day. I have never been more sure of anything in my life, with the exception of marrying Alan. As I sit here right now, I am misty-eyed because the town that carries the distinction of being the very first town to register their votes in the nation, Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. They recorded the results of five ballots. For President of the United States... 5 votes for Joseph Biden. 0 votes for Donald Trump. Does it mean that all is going to go smoothy for the rest of the day? Oh HELL no, but it's a good feeling to know that 5 people in New Hampshire and I would get along, if we met in a grocery store check-out line. See, that's what I have missed most in the last four years... hope. That dumb four letter word. Hope. Maybe we are spelling certain words all wrong. Maybe "Vote" should actually be spelled "Hope". Nah. I HATE Hope's guts!

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 3rd 2020