Municipal elections are heating up in my town as a full slate of candidates march toward the November 13th voting date.
Used to be I believed that casting my vote was sufficient political effort to make. Other youth oriented beliefs included - my vote makes no difference, all politicians are the same and municipal politics are the least important of the three levels of government.
But like every other aspect of my life, all of these beliefs have changed along with the coming of my own change of life.
Please note. I’ve admitted that my beliefs, ones that I argued for and insisted on, have changed. Different. Are not the same.
Here’s my latest stance. When it comes to elections, it’s likely true that my vote doesn’t count very well if I don’t cast it mindfully, but it does still count.
If all politicians are the same then it can be said that so too are all menopausal women. But is that fair? Think about it. While we may have similarities with our symptoms and reactions to menopause, I’m pretty certain that our difference greatly outweigh those common traits. Casting a big net like ‘all’ does little to allow our unique character to show through not to mention reeks of disrespect and arrogance. People really are like snowflakes. Only when bunched together do we become a big ball of snow.
The slogan ‘Think Global, Act Local’ pretty much sums up the best level of government argument for me. It’s like pissing in a pool. If I let loose a yellow river, everyone ends up swimming in it.
Last week, with my newly formed menopausal belief system under my belt, I set out to attend my first political debate between the five candidates running for two positions in my ward. I purposely sat at the front of the very full room so that I could see as well as hear. I’ve learned that much can be understood about a person by what they say and as much by what body language they use when saying it.
All in all it was an illuminating experience that left me confident in whom to vote for and equally clear on who not to vote for.
Once back home, I could have left my civic duty right there. But this life stage seems to be loosening my lips and so I continued beyond the evening’s event and drafted up a brief email that captured my impressions and observations of the five contenders. Then I popped this off to a dozen people that live in my Ward. Next, I wrote a letter to the editor of our bi-weekly rag succinctly offering my view.
Both these efforts reach beyond my own needs as a voting citizen and come from a new belief I’m cultivating.
I have a rich life of experience to draw on and share. My slower pace has allowed me to hone my observational skills. And unlike my youth when I understood my beliefs to be carved in stone, permanent and unchanging, I see change.
I see change.
When it comes to running my city, I want the folks in charge to see change too.
Sue Richards
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