I voted today. I think the news report from the last few days claiming the turnout was going to be huge resulting in long lines, prompted me to wake up early (ugh) and getting to my voting polling place at 6:45am…ungodly! I was fifth in line and was in and out within 15 minutes. Hopefully I really did avoid the long wait. Whatever…mission accomplished!
I don’t remember so well the first time I voted. I do remember feeling very patriotic and grown up. I definitely remember the first time my daughter, Nikki voted. Now, that was exciting! All those firsts…the first step, the first word, the first smile. And then the first day of kindergarten, middle school, high school and college.
When Nikki received her first acceptance into a school or program culminating in her NYU acceptance and how “high” that feeling of joy was, (we literally were jumping up and down) - I had also felt melancholy thinking that would be the last time I would share that emotion with her. How wrong I was!
When Nikki took her road test, we were on pins and needles. We waited in line for over an hour before she took the wheel with her tester - a young man which she didn’t want, hoping for the matronly woman instead. She drove off and disappeared from my sight. I held my breath - well…metaphorically…and after about 5 minutes, she was back. Oh no! This didn’t bode well. Too soon. There she sat, in the driver’s seat, across the street from me but her head was turned to the young male tester. In my mind, I was already preparing to give her a pep talk…”it’s okay…we just have to do it again…many people have to take it again to pass - it’s not a big deal…I had to take it twice.” and so on…but then she turned her face toward me and this beatific smile was on her face. Beaming. Glowing. Pure joy. Again. It was a wonderful moment for me and I treasure that moment because it made me realized that there will still be so many of those moments! Lucky me…lucky us….
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