In the last 120 hours, I have received a flood of messages on Facebook from fine folks wanting to make sure that I would commit to vote in the midterm election. Their pleas went something like this:
“You have to vote…”
“Have you already voted?”
“Go here and sign this petition to vote…”
“WE NEED YOUR VOTE!!!”
No worries.
I’ll vote… just as I have in every election since 1978. But I gotta tell you that I’m not real big on being told by hired political guns and unprincipled marketers for whom to cast that vote… I kinda study this stuff, you know.
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I told you yesterday that I am a very POLITICAL person who writes a predominantly NON-POLITICAL blog. You might say that many of my PARTY days are behind me… political and otherwise 🙂
Life comes down to principles and values and issues of character and integrity. Unfortunately, powerful people who are willing to say anything and do anything and trample all opposition in pursuit of their power tend to make really big messes for the rest of us.
And it’s not just in the political world either… it’s in our corporate boardrooms and our non-profit causes and our schools and our churches and our marriages.
Small people with big issues, seeking big power can cause big problems… and usually do.
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Okay, so I had a Skype conversation the other day with a friend from Europe… he asked why I thought the current administration had lost so much ground.
“After all,” he said, “didn’t people want change?”
First of all, I told my friend… running on “Change” is nothing new. I think back to all the Commander’s in Chief of my lifetime: President’s Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama.
Taken together with all of their opponents, each represented change and alternative solutions… some very positive and enlightening… others very negative, even frightening.
Nice rhyme… 🙂
But let’s be clear… change or the desire for it, is a fairly constant, common denominator.
The question really becomes… what kind of change?
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“So, what brought on the collapse,” asked my friend.
I’m no philosopher, I said, but I think that’s what it comes down to… philosophy and wisdom and vision. Yes, the vision for our Country… our families… our businesses and our charities and our joys and our lives.
On February 5th, 2008, I remember raising my eyebrows as I heard our future President state that, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
I remember wondering what “We” meant. Did that statement mean “We the people…”, I thought, or, “We the politicians…”.
And to that point, I remember telling a friend nine months to-the-day later that while it was certainly important who was elected and leading in The Statehouse and The Whitehouse, IMHO it was far more important who was leading in OUR house… in our own homes and families and businesses and churches.
That is where leadership affects, well… our own effectiveness, as parents, spouses, mentors, teachers and friends.
So if the polls are correct, there may be a big change of political leadership tomorrow. And if those who would aspire to replace the incumbents turn around and act like power-mad idiots with indifference and arrogance, they’ll likely run into some term-limits of their own in the future.
I guess when it comes right down to it, I really am all about change. But I believe the change that’s really needed doesn’t come from outside… doesn’t come from your boss… and doesn’t come from the politicians of any party.
Join me now, please… and look in the mirror, because I believe that it’s the changes that WE make… that are the ones that really matter.
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So, what about voting? And what about the whole notion that this is not a political blog?
What can I say?
All I can tell you is that Wednesday morning, regardless of who wins what election, I will get up and work my tail off for 12-14 hours to bring positive change and results to the people and situations that I touch… just like I did today.
And you’ll likely do the same, because there are others who believe in you… who are counting on you.
In fact, I bet there are at least fifteen people who would love to hear from you tonight… and they’re in your address book or contact list right now. Why not go and connect at once?
Yes, we have the ability to change our communities… to lead with our values… to uplift the weak. We can choose now to respect our elderly… to encourage the suffering… to raise our children… and honor our warriors.
Simple.
You see, you and I are the change… the ones that others have been waiting for… the ones our families have been praying for.
I look forward to hearing from you…
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