It all starts in Kindergarden, “Who’s in favor of cupcakes for the Christmas party raise your hand.  OK, whose in favor of cookies raise your hand.  “The cookies win!”  Then the cupcake voters spend the next two months trying to persuade the cookie voters to come over to the cupcake side when the vote comes up for the Valentine party.

And so it goes as we grow up, just in different arenas.  But the process remains the same. The Cupcakers are positive they have the best way and the Cookie Lovers are convinced they have the only way when all of a sudden someone suggests Brownies.  Then things get real confusing, especially for the undecided. 

Whoever invented voting had a great idea.  It gives everyone a chance to express their opinion by raising their hand, marking a card or punching a ticket. Even if your candidate or proposition doesn’t win, you had the opportunity to be a part of the process.  That in itself is a privilege.

I remember the first time I voted.  I felt so responsible.  When they were little, my kids would sometimes stand in long lines with me waiting my turn to cast a ballot.  Jill was living in New York City for the first election she was old enough to vote in. I cast an early ballot and went to visit.  Voting in Manhattan is a little different from voting in rural Taney County Missouri.  

It took 45 minutes to figured out where her precinct polling location was.  When we finally made it there after getting really lost, the line was out the door, but we waited. I thought of all the times I had dragged her with me to vote and got choked up, “Jill, awww, this is the first time you get to vote.  I’m so glad I’m in town to experience this with you.”

“Umm, Mom, I know this is special and all, but please don’t ask me to stand by the voting booth so you can take a picture. OK?”  I contained myself and didn’t.

So whether you are a Cupcaker, a Cookie Lover, or a Brownie, I hope you take advantage of your privilege to vote.  You’ll be doing your part, you might run in to some neighbors you rarely see, and the stickers they hand out when you leave is always a bonus.