What does an election mean…

to the deer pairing up in the woods on a cold night,

to the squirrel gathering its nuts for the coming winter,

to the chickadee waiting for me to start putting out seed again?

It would be easy to say it does not,

to end this here.

…

…

But if the election means the nearby woods gets turned to housing,

that the immigrant owners of my feed store close their business and move,

that the world gets a little bit warmer,

because of the way an election went,

then it means everything.

….

….

Because of a series of elections,

we have a Supreme Court that ruled that a man and a man,

a woman and a woman can marry across all 50 states.

Because of those elections we have love, and families.

….

…..

Because of an election,

we had the same president that started two wars,

do more to stop the spread of Aids in Africa,

then anyone appreciates,

except,

the Africans who are alive today,

who otherwise, never would have been born.

….

….

Because of an election,

Syrian refugees were able to come to the United States,

and children have been born, and have not died.

Safe,

here in America.

….

….

So whatever your politics,

right or left, independent, or moderate,

Always remember,

that elections matter.

Never forget how important,

your

single

solitary

vote

is.

…

….

Remember that one vote,

and one voice,

Can change the world.

© Words by Dan DeMarle 2016