It is November 2nd and Day 2 of my Attitude of Gratitude challenge. Are you taking part? Comment and let me know! I went a little crazy and posted about five things I was thankful for yesterday. I blame Communication Shutdown for making me miss twitter. Actually, I just had a lot to express gratitude for like my husband’s safe return from a commute via airplane from VA to Dallas and back again.

Likewise, there is much to be thankful for today.

In America we vote on the first Tuesday in November.

I’m not registered for any party. Frankly, I’ve had enough of both the Republican and the Democrats. Not enough that I will ever flock to the Tea Party.

I love that Saturday we saw the “Restore Sanity” rally in DC. No, I did not go. One more time, if you pay me then I will attend such a function. I live here. I hate the traffic. It is not worth it to me to go into DC with an insane crush of people unless I am paid. Unless it is for religious reasons. (I suppose it could happen, so I’m leaving the door open. Though the times the leader of my Church has come to DC, it has NOT been for events that we regular folk get to attend.)

I do agree with the “Take it down a notch” theory behind this rally.  I am so tired of the animosity.  Both parties serve their purpose.  Each have their good sides and their bad sides. Neither is perfect. Likewise, neither is evil.

The day Obama took his Oath of Office, I saw many people say, “The end to a national nightmare”. I’m really not sure what they mean. Other than the nightmare of extreme hate from the democrats to the republicans. Unfortunately, it just flopped and is now republicans with an extreme hate of democrats. It has gotten to a point in our country where I feel the President could stand in the Rose Garden and state simply, “The sky is blue,” and people would claim him to be a liar and rail against it just on sheer principle.

It doesn’t just go with the President. Every day, as the mid-term election drew closer, I saw more and more political-hate spreading. I am tired of smear campaigns. I am ready to be done for a couple of years.

I am glad for elections. It brings the anger, the mud-slinging, and the nightmare that encroaches on the beauty of October to an end. It also brings the ability to bring about change (which I might add was the very platform that Clinton, Bush, and Obama used to win their elections) in our nation.  By simply changing our leaders, we can hopefully change the direction of our government.

That is a truly exciting thing! I love the hope and promise of elections.  I only wish that there was not so much of a nightmare getting here.

Today I vote. You do not need to know if I will be hitting R or D or some combination of the two.  I love that I have the right to make a choice that can affect this nation.  I am grateful for the women that fought hard for this right.  Even further back, I am grateful for those that built this nation in a hopes to give us the freedoms we enjoy today.

I love this nation and the power that the people have.  I will always be thankful for the right to vote.  Just know that today, I’m also thankful that it means an end to the election season.  I am looking forward to a little breathing room.  I know the respite may be only for a brief time, but it is a respite that I plan to enjoy.

If you are in America, please remember to go vote. Remember that your vote DOES make a difference.  Even if you just lodge a “protest vote”, it is part of the process.  It may seem like a “waste” but I firmly believe no vote is wasted.

–Lady O