Mary Ann
Do you ever feel that you are powerless to change the world? I did and often still do. However, there is a glimmer of hope out there that can empower you, and change is possible if only one person at a time. This epiphany dawned on me when I retired. I realized I had a voice, and I needed to use it for good and stand up for my beliefs.
In Stephen R. Covey’s classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey ‘s first habit is Be Proactive. He discusses your circle of influence and being proactive within that circle. We all have the power to influence those close to us. It may not be a huge difference, but it is still a difference. You have more power than you think.
I have had so much fun monitoring what my congressional representative and senators are doing in Washington. Since I am retired, I have the time to follow how they vote, and I can let them know if I agree or disagree and that does make a difference. My little local paper documents our national and state representatives’ votes on various bills. If a vote is forthcoming, I will contact them to encourage them to vote a certain way. If they vote for my position, I will write or call to say thank you for being brave for taking a stand, and I will also call if they vote against what I believe and tell them why I disagree. I learned I could make my beliefs heard. I could express my opinion. This is not hard to do.
Just put your congressman or congresswoman’s name or senator’s info in your search engine, and it will take you to his or her website. On the website, contact info is provided. You can send an email right on the site, though it is limited to the number of words you can write. I have sent Part I and Part II to get my total view across. You can get the address for their office should you want to write a letter, and phone numbers are also provided. I email, but I also call. Usually, you don’t get an answer at the senate offices, however you can leave a message. The representative office is a different story. I usually get a young staffer (maybe a future leader), and I can tell someone directly what I think. It makes me feel better, regardless the outcome. Often you will get a letter or an email from the representative thanking you for your input and then telling you how they voted. This has been my experience.
I haven’t written the president YET, but you can easily contact the White House either through text, an email, write a letter (using the famous address), and you can call. All this info is on the website. I need to give this a whirl!
You may ask, does any of this do any good? Can I really make a difference? Let me share a story with you that illustrates that you most definitely can. I will not give specifics to avoid being political. In my home state, one of our senators held a certain belief that was contrary to what most of his constituents believed. A bill was coming up for a vote. I wrote to him explaining my view that I agreed with his personal position, but in the bigger picture it was about rights for everyone which I believed. The senator changed his position truly representing his state, and the bill passed. As much as I would like to take credit for the change, I know that I was just one of many, many letters, texts, and calls that made the difference.
I have had fun contacting my representatives. I am exercising my right as a citizen of the United States – Miss Bowman, my civics’ teacher, would be proud! I may not be making a big difference, but my voice is making a difference if only for me. At least I feel better when I write my beliefs and share my convictions. You can do this too. Don’t be frustrated. Make a difference if only for yourself. You can write your representative, you can work for a political campaign, you can financially support a candidate, and most importantly, you can vote! You have a voice, so SPEAK UP!
Silver Sage Sisters 