We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare and Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.Preamble, Constitution of the United States.
Charlie and I walked down to the American Legion Hall and voted this afternoon. It was a beautiful autumn day in Maine--no mittens, hats or neck warmers--a fine day in New England.
We saw our friends and neighbors coming and going from the old building that hosts rolicking Bingo parties on Friday and Saturday nights but today harbors the bedrock of our democracy.
I was able to vote for three people who I consider friends as well as a U.S. Senator whose brother shared an after-ski-race chicken stew with us a couple of years ago. As we walked home sipping a celebratory cup of Green Mountain coffee to keep us up for the returns, a Bald Eagle soared overhead looking for fish in the river and reminding us of our liberty.
When I was a child, I do not think that I could imagine that my grown up world would contain a presidential ballot with gender and racial diversity nor could I imagine that Bald Eagles would fly again over the rivers of the United States.
9 comments:
We had a discussion in school today that, other than the one young, white, Catholic male, all US Presidents have been white, older, Protestant males. Exciting times indeed!
Beautiful words, Beth. I wonder if we'll live long enough to see a gay candidate.
Rach, we truly live in a grand and awesome time.
Nan, I think that in ten years we are going to be wondering why sexual orientation was such an issue.
And so, he did it. He broke the racial barrier in a ginormous way... it's a new day indeed. Yes, we can. And yes we will. :c)
Beth--I can't remember an election that had such a history changing feel for me. Oh, there were other elections when I was very proud to vote for "my" candidate--but this one, this one moved me to tears.
Yea! You won. Congratulations. See I can be gracious in defeat. Pappy
Jayne, what a night and with a lot of work from all of us it will be a good future.
KGMom, I felt the same way--I couldn't wait to vote. We actually went to the polls at 7 a.m. and they weren't open yet--so we went to work and went back in the afternoon.
Texican, it's not the SuperBowl, it's democracy and if we choose to live in one, then we all won.
This country is just full of surprises, and it's been so long since we had a good surprise.
You said it best to Rach- we live in a great country, but also a great time.
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