My mother turns eighty-eight next month. She's lived a lot of years, and seen a lot of elections. She was born just after the election that first put FDR in office and knew no other president until she was a teenager! She witnessed the surprise Truman victory in 1948. She cast her first vote for President in 1956. She watched the Nixon-Kennedy debates. She lived through Watergate, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and the election of our nation's first African-American President. She has always been aware of current events and politics, always has had opinions about them, but most of her time over the years ahs been devoted to studying things like Latin classics and medieval literature!
But this year it has been different. There has been a certain urgency to it all, and a real fascination with the unfolding drama of this election season. She has said any number of times, "This will probably be the last election I vote in." Obviously, we hope she is wrong, but if it is, she certainly has given it her all, being an extremely well-informed voter.
Like all of us, she was on tenterhooks all last week, waiting for results. She doesn't watch much television, but more than once we caught her tuning into her favorite cable news network for the latest update as ballots were being tabulated. Mom is a very early rise, and usually heads to bed around nine. But last Saturday, when the race was finally called, she took her Saturday night shower early so that she could watch Joe Biden and Kamala Harris address the nation. I am sure, had it been Donald Trump and Michael Pence doing the same, she would have wanted to watch that as well. That's her in the picture above, ready for bed, watching the speeches!
Like everyone I am disturbed by the divisions, the rancor, and the deep divide that we must address as a nation. But seeing young folks excited and involved, seeing my elderly mother so engaged, knowing that a record number of ballots were cast this year, all that, for me, is a sign of real hope. For when we participate, when we are engaged, our nation is the better for it!
I really hope this isn't her last election, but if it is, I am so grateful for the way she once again has shown us what it means to be an involved citizen!
((PHOTO CREDIT: Sue Danner)
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