Campaigning

The nominations have been announced for mayor and town council in our fair town, and there is a genuine race on our hands. It means we have kicked our campaign into high gear, since both of us tend to jump into these things with both feet and do our best to win the race we find ourselves in.

My initial plans for this week didn't include creating a brochure and ordering signs, but that's what my week has turned into. I am consistently amazed at how much we can actually accomplish when we feel motivated and inspired. If it doesn't feel like drudgery, it becomes almost fun, and I feel good going to sleep at night knowing I have put in a solid effort and actually produced something measurable, which I can hold in my hand.

To accomplish something specific in my day is very satisfying to me. I know that putting time into my kids is an investment that bears fruit in due time, but some days I also need the immediate gratification of production - crossing items off of my list and knowing that I am moving forward to turn ideas into reality.

I expect that the political climate in our town might quickly turn personal, but we are warding that off as long as possible. We haven't changed, simply because Jason wanted to run for town council. We are the same people with the same values and friends. I want to continue being ourselves, and not place expectations on anyone around us for any reason.

It's a battle we all face on a regular basis. To be fully who we are in the world and remain respectful of those who differ from us. I don't want anyone to feel pressure on our relationship because of this new venture for Jason. We are trying to hold loosely to the entire process - putting ourselves forward in the community, but offering every person the freedom to make the political choice which makes the most sense for them, with no strings attached for us.

I'm glad that we both heard that still, small voice of God before we began this journey toward town council. It feels like the right time to step forward and take this risk. I thought it would drive Jason and I further apart because of the extra time commitment for him, but in fact it has brought us closer together and revitalized us.

I'm so grateful for our town, and all that it has given to us as a family. I never dreamed that the kind of community we have found here even existed in the world. Now we want to give something back, because we have been given so much.