Making a Difference...

So of course you know, Im a New Yorker but have lived in Ohio for awhile now. As this upcoming election is about a week away, I began thinking about how crucial everyones vote is going to be. People are predicting a 75% turnout from voters which is phenomenal! Ohio is one of the few states where you can vote early, so I decided to take advantage of that. I was always very skeptical because its an in person absentee ballot. That means you fill it out, put it in an envelope and submit it. We're so used to punching it in right there on the spot(electronically) and it tallying. Not to mention all the news going around about voter registration fraud and other things going on and especially in Ohio. I just felt that something was going to go wrong, but I decided to trust the system and carry on.

Monday afternoon I made my way to Vets memorial(a large venue that holds concerts and what not) and waited in line for about 2 hours. YEP 2 hours. Fortunately I had my text game together as well as mobile uploads to facebook so people got to see what I experienced. Now the process to me was actually pretty good until I got to actually vote. To see the name Barack Obama on the ticket and to know what this represented actually meant something to me.

We have heard the stories in the past, and seen the videos of "Eyes on the Prize", and who knows how many times we have heard/experienced the history of Martin Luther King and other Civil Rights leaders from the past, but this was different. As I stood in the line and looked around at people from all different nationalities, old women and little babies, older gentlemen and people from all walks of life, it was really something for me to take in and experience. I saw an older couple arm in arm the whole way and I was moved. I hoped all the people I saw were voting Democrat, but Im sure they all weren't. However, the turnout was incredible to me and as I left, the line was getting LONGER.

I filled out the ballots, signed it, said a quick prayer and submitted it. I wore my sticker "I voted" proudly as I walked out of Vets, looking at the line and wondering how many people will feel like me as they leave. We've waited a long time for change to come and I pray that my vote and effort wasn't in vain...wait I KNOW it won't be in vain so go get the same feeling I got...