Last night CBS news played a video montage of the campaigns from their beginning. It brought about some patriotic feelings as I thought of the great freedoms in our country and reflected on realities in other parts of the world.
I've lived in places where the time leading up to a vote is marked with violence and death, where friends don't even consider going to the polls because of the potential danger, where something as simple as wearing the wrong color shirt (showing political party alliance) in the wrong area could get you killed. And I have friends in a country where the president changed the constitution so he could remain in power longer.
Yesterday, I walked into my local polling place without fear or threats. I think often that we in the US don't stop and realize what a blessing this is.
Do I believe there are some serious problems that need to be addressed in our country? Absolutely. But for today, I am enjoying the goodness of our democracy.
