Of the many inspiring words that came out of DNC, these—gracious and powerful—from Michelle Obama when she reminded and challenged us are near the top of the list to guide us forward:
“Kamala and Tim, they have lived amazing lives and I am confident that they will lead with compassion, inclusion, and grace. But they are still only human. They are not perfect. And like all of us, they will make mistakes. But luckily y’all, this is not just on them. No, uh-uh. This is up to us, all of us, to be the solution that we seek. It’s up to all of us to be the antidote to the darkness and division. Look, I don’t care how you identify politically—whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or none of the above. This is our time to stand up for what we know in our hearts is right. To stand up, not just for our basic freedoms but for decency and humanity; for basic respect, dignity, and empathy; for the values at the very foundation of this democracy. ”
Even this life-long idealist will acknowledge the world we live in is complicated. If I could wave a magic wand, I would, starting with ending war and hunger. The list is long and all of it is complex on the one hand—who among us would ever stand by and watch a child die of hunger and yet 25,000 do each day—and so simple on the other—there is more than enough food on the planet to feed everyone.
The issues on the ballot in November are also complicated and I already know Harris/Walz will not support all those I think are important. But, even so, the choice I’ll make is simple, is very clear, because these two will help reveal the simple truth about most of us: we are smart, kind, honest, willing to help each other, especially when we are inspired by those around us rather than made to feel fearful.
Like the natural (non-human) world, life is incredibly complex and, yet, quite simply, the sun comes up every morning and by the end of the day the amazing beauty of life—even when the complexity of it doesn’t fit my pictures—ushers me onto rest, dreams and then another day.
So for me the choice in November is simple: I’ll vote for the joyous world I know so well, one that always peeks through even on the darkest of days. Please take time this week to make sure all your family and friends who are or will be of voting age are fully prepared to cast their ballots and defend their right to have them counted fairly—a process that should be simple has become very complex in some states. Together we an continue to see the bounty of life for all of us grow.
And thank you for sharing this post far and wide. Together we can make a difference.
Still Learning To See 
thanks John for your heartfelt words. All I can say is “Amen!”
Well said! Thanks, John…you and Michelle (Obama) make a great team!