I created this blog over a year and a half ago, to share my art and inspiration. As much as I wanted to, I didn't go political this past year, except to post the presidential candidates' record/view on the Arts.
Keeping with the inspiration theme, though not artistic, I want to share a powerful experience from election day. Yesterday, I was a poll worker. I checked people in, so they could vote. I worked from 7am to 8pm, in my precinct, which is one of ten in Natick, Massachusetts.
Inspiration as an artist is one thing, but inspiration to vote is something completely different. I checked in adults who had never voted before, 18 years olds who were voting for their first time (who I thanked and shook their hand), people who were extremely ill and were using all the energy they could find to be there, young adults who drove hours from their colleges or new apartments so they could vote in their home town because they didn't get an absentee ballot (for one reason of another) or register in their new town, and then there were the parents who brought their young children so they could share in the democratic process. It was wonderful to share in their experiences.
After the polls closed, my husband and I hosted a few dozen people at our house, to watch the election results. When Obama got over 270 electoral votes, and then gave his acceptance speech, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
I'm overwhelmed with emotion today, because I can say "President Obama!"
If you voted yesterday, thank you.
Now, back to art.
