What Did You Do?

At dinner, after a day-long conference, a friend wondered if I'd done anything political this year.  A stranger asked if I'd canvassed.  Everyone wanted to know if I'd voted.

Sitting next to her father on the couch last week, Little Cuter suggested that he bind his anxiety about America's future by taking direct action. "You're so good at explaining things, Dad.  There has to be a place for you in this."

Organizing an annual Holiday Party, asking for donations of new clothing for the homeless women she'll be fete-ing, a friend referred to the shopping as "doing something sane in an insane time."

Writing postcards in red and blue marker for Stacey Adams's gubernatorial campaign made me smile.  Hearing TBG tell our friend that I visited my Senator and my Congresswoman on a regular basis made me realize that not everyone does that sort of thing. 

No, I told the stranger, I no longer stand on street corners waving signs and attracting attention to myself.  I don't ring the doorbells of people unknown to me.  I got shot.  I'm not going out and looking for any more danger.  Without missing a beat, she complimented me on my postcards and my office visits as we agreed that you do what you can, when you can, but you must do something.

And so I take heart that the early voting numbers are astronomically higher than they've ever been before in a mid-term election.  It reminds me that democracy is working in America.

I smiled at the generic typeface bold lettering on dozens of billboards in and around Phoenix.

 VOTE  - Tuesday, November 6

Some listed the two candidates for US Senate, but that was all.  A simple reminder that you must do something. 

As always, I'm waiting until Election Day to cast my ballot.  I hope I have to wait in a very long line.