This Election Eve, I find myself reminiscing.
I recall my eldest daughter's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. O'Shea, kindly offering some wisdom in that first 'official' school year.
While I marveled at catching glimpses of my kid making friends and navigating so many necessary social hurdles, I let my parental insecurity spill over.
Mrs. O'Shea shared this: Children find who and what they are looking for. So true.
As parents we can guide, suggest, model, and encourage our kids as we see them choose their compadres, however, kids choose who they choose. We are not the ship's captain on their journey - merely the tug boat alongside guiding them to safety if and when we are needed.
Maddie's second piece of advice: Learn who your child is. True again.
The last bit of memorable parental guidance showed up a few years later when I read the following: prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child.
In my opinion, this triad of advice is all that parents need. (I say this on the 'back nine' of parenting. and wish I did a little better on the 'front nine'. No do-overs; only learning.)
What does this have to do with tomorrow's election?
I think this wisdom also applies to being a good citizen.
Tomorrow, we choose to vote on what we are looking for, on who we are, and on what path our country will take.
I have already voted for a leader:
-who is positive;
-whose work history has been formed in government service;
-who fiercely supports women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy so only women and their doctors choose what is best in health issues. This must be a federally protected right so women are not racing from state to state in some Hunger Games dystopia endangering their lives to find the medical care they need.
-who loves and defends democracy;
-whose inclusive, appropriate behavior is welcomed at my dinner table.
A bonus is this leader is female. We've had 46 US Presidencies with men of all calibers. Men have had more than enough chances to lead this country. Let's begin to balance the scale with a qualified female president on election day.
I want a capable, sane, measured, compassionate, strong woman as US President, and have found her in Kamala Harris.
Keep Kalmala and carry-on-a-la.
