by Marguerite Kearns
It’s that time of the year. Election Day tomorrow. Conversation is something we engage in every day, and too often I don’t take advantage of conversation opportunities to tell people what’s on my mind.
Like this past Sunday with me in my pajamas as I opened the door to two women Jehovah’s Witness volunteers there to deliver a message about my salvation. This is a conversation challenge. I’ve closed the door too many times before saying I wasn’t interested in their latest pamphlet. OK, how can I respond to this conversation challenge? Why couldn’t Life have sent me a better test case?
I told them I’m concerned about the state of Mother Earth and much needed support in creating harmony and balance. They share with me their excitement about their new web site. They refer to passages in their Bibles with respectable blue covers and tell me again about their great web site. They probably have no idea about the crowded internet where millions of messages are dumped on unsuspecting souls each and every day.
What can I say that won’t unleash a longer lecture from them about salvation? The tea kettle is screaming at me from the stove. I forgot to turn off the humidifier and the red light’s blinking. So I grab for something –anything– to say.
“Tuesday’s Election Day,” I told them.
“We don’t get involved in politics,” they responded.
“I’m not suggesting you vote for any one person or party. I’m reminding you that it took 72 years for American women to win the right to vote. That’s why I vote. And I support the building of a suffragist memorial outside of Washington, DC. Voting and supporting the suffragist memorial are out of respect for my grandmother, great grandmother, other family members and ancestors who won the right to vote for us.”
“Oh, we had no idea.”
“Most people don’t either. That’s why I’m telling you.”
We exchanged parting greetings and affirmed the warm sunny Sunday, a memorable occasion that left me and two Jehovah’s Witness volunteers smiling. Mission accomplished. I closed the door and then rushed to turn off the tea kettle and fill the expired humidifier with fresh water.
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As always I love your “musings,” Marguerite! I wanted to share that my (Catholic) church is a polling place (interestingly enough!), and our priest wrote a short piece in our bulletin yesterday supporting the use of churches in the election process. Let me share a few of his remarks: “Some may disagree with the idea of a church being a polling place, but what better place to cast your vote? Our conscience and not our emotions should be at the heart of our voting choices. Please pray as we approach this — and every — election, that the Holy Spirit help you to make your decisions. Talk to people of faith, sharing thoughts and ideas. Be informed about candidates, issues, and challenges. Tell others about the election, reminding them of their responsibility to exercise their right to vote, and help them get to the polling place if they need a ride. And, please be clear about why voting is part of how you live your faith.” (Very well said, and thank you, Fr. Jerry Gingras, Pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church, Glenville, NY).
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