Tomorrow, when we embark on our morning walk, we will set out on one of our familiar routes. We'll need to make a break in the routine though, a stop at the school a few blocks from home. Why? Because that is our polling place and tomorrow is Election Day, so we'll be stopping there so I can cast my vote.
I try to be aware of and informed about the political issues that are relevant in any given election, and pay close attention to the ones that are the most important to me. Since becoming your mother, I also put my focus on the issues that I think will be most important to you as you grow up in this country. I don't have allegiance to any particular political party, so you won't hear me espousing the values of this party or that one. Rather, I consider each candidate as an individual, and choose the one whose values most align with my own, who appears to be the most trustworthy, and who seems to have the best interests of people like us, "common folk", you might say, at heart.
While I hope to raise you as a free thinker with a mind of your own, chances are that you will be aware of my biases, my personal values, and my opinions on political issues, since I'm not very good at keeping them to myself. I will do my best to answer your questions about the issues and why I vote the way I do in as matter-of-fact a way as possible. Don't be afraid to disagree with me. You might disagree with me on some issues, and that's okay. You might even disagree with me on nearly all of them, like I do with my own mother!
Regardless of where you end up in terms of your political leanings, I do hope that you'll be aware of and involved in the process. It's important to pay attention to what is happening with the government and how it impacts not just you, but the world around you. Ignorance is NOT bliss. Your vote is your voice, and yes, even though you are just one person, you DO make a difference.
Tomorrow, you'll join me while I do one of many 'somethings' I can do.