So I voted today. There were two people ahead of me in the D - H line. As I waited, I watched as a Latino couple went from being completely upset to reassured as there name was finally found on the rolls. It seems they initially waited in the wrong line. The confusion was due to differing interpretations of what was the first letter of their last name. A Latino poll worker calmly figured it out, and peace was restored. And then just as quickly I was first in line, signed my name, received my ballot and was ushered to my booth. It took less than 10 minutes from the moment I entered till I retraced my steps back out. Kind of anti-climatic in many ways. Besides, my hometown always votes correctly, IMNSHO.
But reading the news online occasioned some moments of sheer wonder. The first is an amusing story from yesterday's Washington Post. I laughed out loud at the last line, but read it all the way through to get the joke.
The second was a photo essay of how the election is being covered around the world. The images spoke volumes of how much our vote affects people who have no voice in the process.
Ishtar asked me if it felt momentous when I cast my vote. I said no. The big moment comes tonight, where I am pretty sure folks all over this chocolate city will be partying like a mofo! And then and only then will all the emotions of this election rush forward and fill my heart.
Maybe I will buy some champagne on the way home from the vet. But right now, I am filled with guarded optimism. My hopes and dreams have been crushed all too often in national elections. I am waiting till the fat lady sings.
And this is one fat lady who keeping her trap shut till the voting is done.
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sweet! :-)
You are usually able to annunciate what I do not have words for. Thank you!
Much love,
-Eridanus
INTJ here. I hear what you are saying.
"what is remembered, lives". It was with sadness that I read of Wilma Mankiller's passing. She won't be forgotten.
"...Weaver, Weaver weave this thread, whole and strong into your web...Healer, Healer, heal our pain...In love may she return again..."
While student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I became friends with Carl Rogers, who was respected as one of the leading psychotherapists of his time. He taught me much about the art of listening.
Dr. Rogers said that when we listen, and people know we are listening, it shows we truly care about them. In turn, they will respond by caring about you. It opens communication and also opens hearts. When we accept them as a person, unconditionally, they will be more kind to you.
We should listen without preconceptions, without anticipation and without judgement if we want others to portray what they truly feel. We listen with all our senses, not just to the words which are said. Some people cannot fully express themselves while speaking, so we must try to see them as they see themselves. We should watch for non-verbal clues as to what they really mean: facial expressions, body movements, etc.
While we should show positive regard for the other person, we should also demonstrate our own positive self-regard. We do not react to their negative comments, verbally or physically, even when we disagree with them. When they do ask for our opinion, however, we should respond with our true thoughts and in specifics rather than generalities. We offer our own perspective as other options rather than as contradictions.
Listening might seem quite passive as opposed to speaking. It is actually very active. To paraphrase Bobby Kennedy, “I learn while listening. When I talk I don’t learn too much.” If you think talking helps to spread your own wisdom, you are not really wise.