Wait, before you judge, I voted in our last election. I chose the president I felt would lead our country in the right way, but then I skimmed through everyone else. Eenie, meenie, miney, moe. And sometimes I didn't vote. What did I care? How will this vote affect me? Sure, I was a teacher. But getting too involved with politics was too much work. I enjoyed being the laid back, don't worry about this and that, type of gal. Besides, people talk about people who care too much, who advocate too much, who are too involved with stuff, and I don't want to be talked about.
But then the day came, that all those decisions I didn't make mattered. My children are not able to come home. We have complied with everything we need to do, followed all the rules, and yet, our children cannot come home. So I called the Vice President. After all, I voted for him. You know it turns out, you cannot get the vice president on the phone. "You will have to put into writing why you want to talk with the vice president, Miss." Oh. Okay. So what do I do now? Ohhh, that is why I was not suppose to play my fifth-grade game mentioned above? I have to make relationships with my congresswomen/men and senators? But how?
Step one, I have to call them. One of my favorite people on this planet works for Senator Donnelly. She gave me a phone number and contact person to help with our adoption. But would he help? Turns out he called me after every meeting and update. This did not happen with my other senator's office. So hadn't Senator Donnelly been elected, I would have had zero help. This is why you vote. You find the compassionate, truth-seeking, righting a wrong senators and you vote for them. Because it will affect you eventually. Believe me, I am your witness.
I was invited to meet with Congresswoman Susan Brook's office. I explained what was happening, and asked for help. I wrote an email to Mary, who was on vacation, but still emailed me back, because she cared. I cried during the meeting, so Mary grabbed me tissues and took notes. The next day, I received a letter from my congresswoman, Susan Brooks. She wanted to help. I remember reading the email with tears running down my face, because someone cared. Someone also thought that my children should come home, and put that into writing. I wanted to hug her.
I spoke with two people in Congressman Carson's office; the chief-of-staff who was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful and Kathy who worked with adoption cases. Kathy would talk on the phone until you were ready to get off. Not her, but you. She took her time talking with my family, and myself about what was a heartbreaking reality for us. She didn't hush our concerns, but let us talk.
I will vote for each one of these people down the road. But I will go a step further, and look into everyone running. I will study senator's and representative's positions on things that matter and vote accordingly. I will only play Eenie, meenie, miney, moe with my children.
Voting matters.
