I posted on FB today, in a subtle response to ALL the political vitriol. I made the statement that all I really know about the current election is that I voted yesterday. I voted with a choice and with no threats. I consider it a privilege and not a right. Someone questioned me about why I do not consider it my right as a U.S. citizen. My response was because I did not earn it. Probably, it is just a matter of semantics. I find life ever so much more enjoyable when I view the gifts around me as privileges and not rights. As odd as it may sound, privileges seem, to me, to come with responsibility while rights come with entitlement. Again, probably just a matter of semantics.
The reason I voted yesterday is because I am going to be in Florida on election day. I will get up, get in my car, pick up my mother and sister, and drive down the east coast of Florida for a week of rest and relaxation. I am not scrambling to get permission from the government to cross state lines. I consider it a privilege to be able to go wherever and whenever I have the time and money without having to let the government know about it. I will not be passing checkpoints as I travel. People in other places are not so fortunate. That is why I voted yesterday. Someone close to me informed me that they would not be voting, and when I made a puzzled look (possibly translated critical look) they informed me that it was their privilege to not vote. Touche.
I voted yesterday in one of my favorite places ever - a library. I love the notion of a free lending-library. Seriously, what a privilege to go to a place and select books to read, return them, and get more. The free library is not always free to me because I often am derelict in returning books on time, so I pay overdue fines. That to me makes the difference in privilege and right. I have no right to be able to go check out books for free. With that privilege comes responsibility - take care of the books, return them on time or pay a fine. If it were my right, I would be incensed that someone would expect me to return the book ever.
After I voted, Mr. Lincoln and I went to see the movie Argo. That movie drove home even more strongly what a privilege it is to live here. There are no burned out cars on the side of the road, no bodies hanging from construction cranes. Please, do not hear me saying I think this is a perfect place to live. Certainly, we have lots of problems...big problems. It would be impossible to name them all, and what some would consider problems, others would consider solutions. History tells me that we have had better times in this country, and we have had much worse times. It will be interesting to see who is elected. It will be interesting to see if whomever is elected actually accomplishes anything of great importance. We will see. But, in the meantime, I will make every effort to live in gratitude for all the privileges I enjoy. I will also strive to not let this election dictate the level of peace in my mind.
So, for today, I wish you appreciation for the privileges life affords you, and I wish you
blessings
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