I Voted Today & Other Ramblings

I'm rambling. It happens from time to time...

The Florida primary is fast approaching. I stopped by our library today and voted early. I remember it was not that long ago when "voting early" simply did not exist, in fact, I still remember the howls of protest against those advocating an early voting option. Suffice it to say, early voting is here to stay and Internet voting from home will someday be standard fare.

Deciding who to vote for was really not that difficult. Oh, I could make a case of how I pondered this and went back and forth on that but in the end, it really was not that hard of a decision. Not to say that I didn't have different positions on some of the issues with my candidate. However, I seriously doubt that a candidate exists that is a proponent of everything I or anyone else professes to support. You may have heard the old adage that close only counts in horseshoes and grenades. Well I'm thinking it might apply to more things in our lives than we ever suspected. It's much like the church I am a member of, I simply am not in agreement with everything they teach nor do I hold much desire to ever be. Are these differences enough to cause me to seek a different denomination? Not yet. And if not yet, then why? And how, if at all, does it relate to my political beliefs? Or for that matter, any of my beliefs?

I seldom talk about what my job was before I recently retired. A couple of reasons for that but more importantly for this post I will simply say I worked in the environmental field. I tell you this because I worked in an industry that in all probability is a (if not the) leading industrial air polluter in your community. We're nation wide. Global, in fact. Just this month I saw a new commercial on TV (also playing nation wide) extolling the "clean" virtues of the industry and the good they are doing for each of us. It was a very good commercial. Very good. Very misleading and deliberately deceiving in that it left out THE key greenhouse pollution data that you would find disturbing but then most citizens wouldn't know that. As I said, it was a very good commercial. For the industry.

So why did I work in such a field if I was an "environmentalist"? I was asked that question not so long ago. It was asked not so much as to elicit an answer as much as it was to drive home a point. A sharpened point. Into my gut, coupled with a whack across the knees with the perceived objective of not just cutting me down but to expose me for the environmental hypocrite that I was. The attempt failed though I am convinced my inquisitor felt a sublime sense of duty performed and lesson delivered. I am also convinced that they failed to grasp what my role, my purpose, my intent and finally, what my job was. For you see, I chose to work from within. To work from the inside out rather than from the outside in. Also, (very important disclosure upcoming) it paid well. While I could not end pollution, I remained a constant advocate and enabler of people, money and equipment to reduce the environmental impact my industry was having in my community and I would like to think in yours as well. As I said, my inquisitor failed to see that. I tend to believe that the concept of my being environmentally sincere was looked upon with the same skepticism that would greet a military general being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Though if you will consider that for just a moment, who better to promote and work for peace than a General. Not trying to be ugly but I'll take the General over the Preacher on that one. It's back to working from the inside out. Be it politics, religion, your job. Family.

Seldom is there just one answer. One correct position. I was trained and subsequently taught others to look for causes. By identifying causes we uncover and implement solutions. My life lesson has taught me that significant change can be brought about by an array of avenues. Working from within is merely one channel of communicating and fostering a change. Most important, is you choosing to stay involved. To throw your horseshoe as close to the stake as you can get it. I would suggest being a tab bit careful of throwing grenades but then that's just me. I hope you find your avenue...

Remember to vote.

peace
fm