Yesterday 40% of Massachusetts came out in the sleet and snow to vote for the vacated seat left by Teddy Kennedy, a long term Democratic Senator, much adored by his constituents. The current race is between a lackluster but competent Martha Coakley and an inspiring handsome Republican Scott Brown. Brown has surprised the state with a strong campaign and could overturn our state’s long tradition of Democratic Senate representation. He could further disrupt the momentum in Congress to pass legislature granting healthcare to all.

That’s not what I was thinking about when I parked and unloaded my precious cargo, my three year old daughter, and walked into the community elementary school down our street to cast my vote. I was thinking, wow, this is beautiful public school. Wow, all these people here are volunteering so we the people can vote. Wow, this was easy, tell them my street and number and name, then color in a circle. Wow, this is democracy. I turn to Maxine, “Maz, what I am doing is voting and this is the action of democracy, where every citizen gets a say in the matter …” and then I choke up, tears start flowing. She just stares. We are walking out now and I am crying, filled to the brim with gratitude for being born into a democracy. Our imperfect, messy, sometimes polarizing democracy. But, how lucky are we? I feel the crushing reality of so many places in this world where women can’t vote, people with with wrong associations and skin color and ethnicity or religion can’t vote, where people are afraid to vote and where people vote but it has no impact because the election was pre-determined. I feel so lucky to have been born into our imperfect and messy union, where we can dream, we can fail, we can try again. Where we can declare bankruptcy and then build our lives again. Where there is public education options for everyone. Where many, many streets are clean and safe. Where most water is safe to drink. Where most air is clean to breathe. Where there are parks with grass and safe play structures every few blocks for our children. How lucky are we?

I get it. There’s a lot that isn’t working. A lot that is broken. A lot that needs fixing. The list is long and I get scared. I feel that scarcity a lot – that we will run out of time, money, love for each other. But yesterday, on a day I got to vote, I feel grateful. I am appreciating what does work, what we do have, what we do share. What is clean and what is safe. And I remember this moment of sufficiency, of what is enough already, because it is always there. Because those voting booths are waiting for me each election, and because I get to participate.