Ballots and Baked Goods

I exercised my right as a U.S. citizen on Tuesday and ate homemade cookies. Just another of the many perks of living in my Midwest haven.

As I was running errands prior to voting the other day, I was listening to NPR. They were talking about how voting has become an unpleasant, even costly, experience for people in some areas of the country, due to dangerously-located wards or those situated in areas of high traffic, where people actually have to take extra time off work to get to their polling places. Consequently, some eligible voters were refraining from casting their votes.

As I thought about how unfortunate that was, I pulled into the church where I vote and put the car in park. It was a little cold and drizzly, but certainly NOT dangerous or inconvenient. In fact, I walked right into the cozy lobby and immediately spotted friends and neighbors. After chatting up some of my favorite poll workers and fellow voters, I cast my vote, put on my sticker and headed back out to the lobby, where two sweet women attending another ballot box -- one for a handmade quilt they were selling raffle tickets for -- greeted me warmly and pointed out the table of cookies and coffee.

I felt the equivalent of a warm embrace for doing my civic duty, not unlike the one I once got for picking up my toys. Uncle Sam's elves always go above and beyond in my precinct, and I love them and the voting experience, as a result. What a shame it can't be like that everywhere, here and abroad.

So yeah, here I am counting my blessings again.