While some might say that choosing a president is not quite as determining as choosing a spouse (my 35th wedding anniversary is on November 4), the imprint left on our lives by presidents can be significant.
So, what makes a good spouse truly good? A good spouse is a great friend—someone who accepts and loves you just as you are even as s/he challenges you to become a better person. Both candidates call upon us to be better people. Mitt Romney believes those of us who “have” will give through private channels to make sure that those with nothing will receive enough. President Barak Obama believes those of us who “have” will want to pay into a government that makes sure those with nothing receive enough to live. Each asks us to be giving people.
A good spouse develops intention into an effective “how.” In the very beginning of our union, my husband thought buying things for the house was buying things for me. I set that aright quickly; and, while the deep affection he has for me has never faltered, the way he expresses it has grown and deepened over the years. His “how” continues to improve!
So, how do we see things moving forward in our country, my friends? How will your vote this coming Tuesday provide for our shared future? Because, make no mistake about it: We are all in this together!
Whoever is elected president will challenge us to be better people. Whoever is elected will miss our personal mark from time-to-time and will frustrate us because he—no woman is on either ticket so I can with some frustration say “he” here—won’t quite do things the way we would like. So, will we pretend we are not joined with him in this great experiment of the United States of America? Or will we get that the Union must be strengthened no matter what? Do we love this country that much? We shall see.
But, right now, I want to offer Marcel Davis a love that can fill an ocean and tell him that I will be there for him in as many ways as possible until death do us part!
Inez Torres Davis is director for justice.