I Drive a Dodge

If someone walked up to you and asked you to run for some office – any office – what would your reaction be?  Maybe you’d laugh and think “yeah, right,” or maybe you’d start designing your campaign materials in your head.  At some point in an elected official’s life they decided they would be an appropriate representative for the people in their communities.  They may or may not have higher education.  They may or may not have some other job.  They may or may not have kids. 

They may or may not drive a focus. 

What makes a person decide to run for office?  What compels them to be placed on a ballet and given a chance to be a voice for people?  Maybe they want to help.  Maybe they want the money.  Maybe they want power.  Maybe they need the experience.  Maybe they’re seeking revenge. 

Maybe they were handed an opportunity to make a difference and decided to go for it.

What would your slogan be, or would you even have one?  What message should an elected official send to the people they represent?  Perhaps it should be about fairness.  Perhaps it should be about improvements.  Perhaps it should be about change.  Perhaps it should be about taxes. 

Perhaps it should be about equal representation.

What happens after you get elected and are handed your first order of business?  Do you research? Do you study? Do you draw conclusions?  Do you interpret data? 

Do you already know what the people want?

My point is – I drive a Dodge.  There isn’t anything spectacular about me.  I was simply handed an opportunity to make a difference and decided to go for it while trying my best to do what I am elected to do while dealing with deadlines, phone calls, meetings, budgets, opposing views, mudslinging, character assassination, research, campaigning, meeting people, asking for votes, asking a million questions, seeking information, learning, growing thicker skin, perpetually second-guessing, hindsight (grossly acquired), trusting my own judgment, seeking advice, crying on the inside while smiling on the outside, consciously reserving thoughts and actions, feeling accomplishment, seeing progress, acquiring knowledge, learning hard lessons, accepting the fact that I don’t know it all, and that watermelon is a great way to meet people.

Since being elected, I've learned a few things:

• There are three sides to every story – if not more.  It’s never a good idea to draw a conclusion without having at least heard two of them.

• Fake people sometimes take a while (and a few losses) to recognize, but the truth always comes out.  Don’t be too hard on yourself over someone else’s deception

• True friends will tell the truth.  No matter what.  Even if it’s not what you want to hear. 

• People have a funny way of showing how uneducated they are.  When life berates you with the opinions of the uneducated and willfully ignorant, do your best to brush it off.

• One “Thank you” is equivalent to a trillion “F-you’s,” and has the potential to turn your whole day around.

• Cosmetic changes look good, but there is always more to the picture.  On the other hand, sometimes it’s best to just see things for what they are in plain sight.  Overly-complicated translations are disastrous to efficiency.

• When making decisions that affect others, at least be open to hearing their input on the issue.  Voices matter.  Equal representation takes effort.

• Don’t take for granted the tiny nuggets of knowledge which reside in some of the most unthinkable places.  You have to really open your mind to see the full picture.  Perception is key.

• Last but not least, if you don’t know something, then you’ve learned something new.  Never underestimate your power to make a difference, and when the opportunity presents itself, immerse in it.