Today, my father-in-law voted. So what? You might ask. Well, He is 97 years old and this is a "historical" day. You see, this is his twentieth time to vote! How many of us can say that?
The very first time he voted, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Alfred M. Landon were on the ballot. All of the elections have resulted in a male winner. In his lifetime, he has seen the likes of Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Lyndon B, and Nixon on the ballot.
He has seen names on the ballot like Carter and Ford, Regan and Mondale and Clinton and Bush. Many of us remember those but only he can say he has seen the others.
He has seen the close races (Kennedy 49.7%-Nixon 49.5%) and he has seen "blowouts." He voted in the 1976 election of Ford vs Carter-I missed voting in this election by months. My first opportunity to vote was in the 1980 election-my father-in-law had 13 on me.
While many of those years he held his head and shoulders high and walked confidently, today he shuffled into the building electing to leave his cane behind. He walked in confident none the less and ever so informed.
A couple of months ago, he relinquished his right to drive. He understands that due to the nature of life and aging, he will lose rights and privileges. We all realize that no one can take away his constitutional right to vote. Today, he proves that by voting for the 20th time in his life!
The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Ecclesiastes 9:17-18
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