Fantastic Voyage Generic Graphics Updated Nov 2023
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First of all, I want to send out thoughts and prayers to all those affected by the storm and still struggling to get their lives back in order.

     

Well, the important month of November is finally here and, of course, next week, Americans will go to the polls–(kudos to those who have already voted)–to cast their vote.

     

And as tragic as it is, the storm actually provides a context for this upcoming election in a poignant way.

     

You see, people were hurting long before the storm all over the country folks are poor, sick, lacking healthcare and hungry and while some may feel the folks suffering are to blame for their own circumstances, I want you to consider two things.

First, a storm can take on many forms in our lives. For some, our storm could be a family tragedy, a serious disability, a youthful mistake, or a mental illness.

     

None of us is immune to the debilitating events life may throw at us and all of us can certainly benefit from help while we’re working through our storm.

     

I’d be hard-pressed to find anyone, rich or poor, who hasn’t benefitted from some sort of help at critical points in their lives.

     

Second, many of those suffering the most are children and, needless to say, they’re certainly not at fault for the troubling situations they were born into, and they have no control over the storms affecting them.

     

So why am I bringing this up today, after the storm, and before the election? I bring it up because, when we go to the polls this Election Day, we should not forget these people–all around us, young and old–suffering from the storms in life.

     

You see, many of us have short memories. During the earlier part of the 20th century, rich people were the ones losing everything and jumping out of windows.

     

In fact, the reason President Roosevelt initiated his New Deal policies and social programs in the 1930s was to stabilize the economy while helping people suffering from the crippling impact of the major storm known as the Great Depression.

     

This Election Day, we can also help those struggling by voting for candidates with policies designed to help families in need, to children in need, and to help get us through the storm.

     

So let’s start right now with those in immediate need from the so-called “Frankenstorm” and aiding the relief effort by going to the redcross.org to donate or learn how you can help.

And then, on Election Day–without telling you who to vote for–my suggestion is to vote with your heart as much as you vote with your brain. Because voting for the well-being of your fellow citizen is smart since, rich or poor, nothing is promised to any of us.

     

And as they say, “all of us are only one catastrophe away from poverty and ruin.”