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This election has brought up many emotions and memories for me. There are times and things that remember as if it were yesterday: I remember watching Barack Obama announce and thinking he may ACTUALLY be president one day, just not now.No wonder I never hit the lottery! I was in my kitchen feeding my children and in a great mood because of my new sales job. Then there was the time I had a conversation with my friend about wishing Barack and Hillary had not run in the same year as she was so conflicted as to who to vote for. I could not understand her predicament. I lost a job, got a new job and moved across 3 states while this whole thing was still raging. Loving my new job I walked down the hall one morning in time to overhear how the American people had lost their minds and because Barack had won Iowa. That was the moment I became fully engaged in this election.
I have been politically active for many years. As a kid my parents took off every election day and drove people to the polls. It was a time when we got to spend the whole day with them. I would go from the station wagon to the truck when my parents were at the polling place together. That was before these pesky safety rules too. So we kids would ride in the cargo area of the wagon or on the bed of the truck when it wasn’t cold. We loved running around playing and being out of school. I would spend that day listening to elderly members of my community talk about their vote. Every year one of them would tell the story of the Briggs v. Elliott the first of the cases in the Brown v. Board of Education decision that started in our community. I have heard the story over and over about how Rev. Delaine and Mr. Briggs were forced out of town for their efforts in the suit. I have also heard stories of the men coming back for funerals and family reunions dressed as women (never had any proof). I was told often about the sacrifices made so that I could get and education. Not one election day passed that someone didn’t tell me to make sure to get my education. When I got to high school election day was not quite as cool but I was still there. There was not an option in my house. My mom had no such notion that children needed choices. She believed firmly that to whom much is given much is expected. To avoid the lecture on how blessed I was I became a driver as well as a helper for those who could not read. Even though I started the day not too enthused I always ended it feeling good. Until recently I never thought of those days. Jill wrote a post on Being a voter that brought up all those memories.
When I was an elementary student I won an essay contest and got to go and read it at the state house. Nobody knew that I was terrified at the prospect of speaking in public. Rep Harvin, my state Rep was backstage with my dad and I, they were laughing and talking while I was crying and about to hyperventilate. When they noticed they both decided I did not need to do the essay (men and crying women). Two things I will never forget about that day. 1) Mr. Harvin said “no worries sweetie I will go out and do it for you.” At that moment he looked like an angel. I stopped sniveling long enough to thank him. 2.) My mom had other ideas. She put my brother down got on her knees gave me a hug and as she was
