This is one of my favorite quotes. I keep a plaque on my desk at work to remind me of my personal and societal responsibility.

If you want the world to be a kinder place, be kind. If you want to see more environmental responsibility, then be environmentally responsible. Hold yourself to the task of making the changes you want to see around you.

I am reminded of this the most during the time of an election. It is the time when I feel I have a larger voice. Voting is a responsibility I take seriously. I research candidates and issues. I never strictly vote “the party line”.

Elections are the time I am also most reminded of the fact that I do not suffer fools lightly. I just cannot understand being willfully ignorant or blindly stubborn. I also do not understand why anyone takes the right to vote for granted by just not doing it.

The battles fought by individuals to have the freedom of voice and the freedom of choice, to have a say by whom and how we are governed…it’s important. It’s the foundation this country was built on and while I cannot fathom the things these individuals went through … it’s awe inspiring. Women were imprisoned, beaten and tortured because they stood up and demanded the right to vote. People of color were beaten, imprisoned and died for the right to vote. Knowing this, how can people so casually ignore the importance and beauty of it? It is the constitutional right, a privilege and responsibility of every individual in our society to take part in this process. VOTE!

I recently wrote a letter to my niece. She’s not yet 2 years old but my sister-in-law set up an email address for her and sends her emails that she will share with her once she’s older and I thought it was an amazing idea so I too have begun sending her email. Below is a short little letter I sent to her because I was up early reading and thinking about her.

…It’s very quiet here in Seattle right now. It’s early morning, grey and overcast and all of the animals are sleeping. Its my favorite time & kind of day. I like to sit surrounded by the silence, it’s so peaceful. This is when I normally open a book and read. I can literally spend hours reading a good book. I’ve always loved books…for longer than I can remember. My mom told me my favorite things from the earliest of age were music, the ocean, and books.

I had to step away from regular posting as I am drastically limited in my computer time and typing capabilities at the moment. I have a severe case of tendonitis as well as a radial compression in my right arm and I am wearing a brace to try and avoid surgery. So I have been following my doctor & physical therapist’s orders and not using a computer unless I absolutely need to. This translates to using a computer at work only. I’ve been forbidden to play golf, baseball, raquetball, wring out laundry, use a screwdriver or hammer, garden, sweep, play video or computer games, lift anything heavier than 2 pounds, open jars, or doing anything that requires wrist movement or full arm extension.

It’s amazing & a bit sad how much we take our daily routines and mobility for granted until you lose a little bit of it.