I'm Proud to be A Hoosier

Warning: Highly corny. Optimistic. Hopeful.

I was ten years old when I casted my first ballot for President of the United States. That's right. I was in fourth grade at Indian Village Elementary School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) and I took pride in my vote for Gerald R. Ford.

I remembered how he stepped in and seem to bring about some calm to the chaos after Nixon and frankly, that Jimmy Carter guy scared me. But most of all, I was frightened of change. What if Russia nuked us?

Jimmy Carter was a peanut guy.

What was he going to do? Pelt peanuts at the guys in those funny hats (Ushankas)?

I remember waking up the next morning (rushing out to see the results broadcast on Good Morning America) and I was shocked to see that Carter had won.

I cried.

Really.

At school, many of us were down in the dumps. We just knew this meant that the end of the world was coming. (And yes, even back then, I was a bit of a drama princess). But then, the end of the world did not come (although, many can debate me ;) on that one) and we lived to see the election between Carter and Reagan.

That election (at school), I voted for Carter.

What? Yep. I liked his character. I thought he was a sincere guy. I didn't like how he was bullied by those people on the other side of the world and I thought - Hmmm - if I vote (at school) for Reagan, that means that I am signaling to another country that they can affect my decision in the voting process.

And I don't like to be told what to do.

When I became 18 and was able to legally vote, I took my responsibilities seriously. But then - I'll be honest - over time, I became apathetic - especially regarding the primaries - because whether or not I voted - did not seem to matter.

Until yesterday.

And when I went to my poll, I was proud to vote. Proud to be a part of an elite group who would be making a mark on history. Who I voted for is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that the ten year old in me was reinspired to care about a process that I thought I'd never be able to impact.

The one vote of every hoosier yesterday mattered.

And today, I hope that all of you that were able to exercise your right to vote - that you woke up this morning feeling proud to be a hoosier - because I did!

How are you all feeling about things? Did this primary awaken or re-awaken your desire to want change?