Happiness Starts With You
A reflection for Election Day:
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.
I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.
When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town.
I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family.
My family and I could have made an impact on our town.
Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”
~Rabbi Israel Salanter, Nineteenth Century Professor
While we all focus on casting ballots for the next US President, hoping he can “fix” our world and improve our lot, let’s remember that in the end, he’s just one person. Even if we consider all our U.S. leaders — Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches combined — they are only 555 people. They can’t make anything happen until and unless ALL of us take on our share of responsibility.
Change you, change the world.
Happiness is Making History
I’m so sick of election stuff, stuff, stuff; and I’m sure you are, too. Yet please indulge me for two more days.
No matter who wins tomorrow, we will make History — either way, we will have placed someone other than a white male in one of the top two posts of the land, and after 232 years of history, that feels like a HUGE shift!
And so, I’m excited. Do I have a favored candidate? Ya, ya betcha! I voted last week and am praying that my candidate wins. But I’m not a sour grapes voter. If the other party wins, then we shake it off and move forward.
Bottom line, I’m happy that no matter who wins, we’ve successfully broken the paradigm. When the Constitution was first written, the definition of citizen was, “white, male, landowner, who was debt-free.” For two centuries, even as the makeup of our country shifted considerably, that small minority has remained the sole source of serious contenders for the top job. But that’s gonna change in just a few hours.
From tomorrow forward, when parents say to their kids, “you can grow up to be president,” it won’t just be the little white boys who take that suggestion seriously — it will be the rainbows of both genders who now pay attention. And since our country is within just a few years of seeing causcasians become the non-majority, I’m excited for the future of America. Because in this complex world, we are far more likely to succeed when we leverage ALL our human resources, not just a portion of them.
This is just one of the many reasons why I truly believe this is the most important U.S. election that has occurred in my lifetime. I am bouncing up and down in my excitement.
I AM THRILLED TO BE BOTH A PLAYER IN — AND A WITNESS TO — HISTORY!
Vote. Just VOTE!
I truly believe this is the most important Presidential election that has occurred in my lifetime (since 1956, then).
I don’t know who will win… and frankly, both candidates have enough pros and cons going for them that I don’t believe we can mess up too badly either way, and in any case neither is capable of solving ALL (if any) our problems.
What concerns me is the possibility of another tiny win that keeps us polarized. In 2000, Bush beat Gore by a mere 537 votes in the Florida recount. That was a margin of three one-hundredth of a percent (.03%, or .0003). The 2004 election was not tremendously better.
What I wish for more than anything is a turnout that is so huge that no one will be able to say, “Americans don’t care,” and for a win so decisive that the winner can say, “a clear majority of the people want me here.”
I mailed my absentee ballot. I’ve completed my civic duty. I pray that millions of other people do theirs.
Do your part. Vote. And every time you encounter someone of voting age, ask them, “are you voting on Tuesday?” Don’t let anyone get away with saying “my vote doesn’t matter.” It does! Yours could be THE VOTE that determines the next President of the United States!
How cool is that?!
