It's Nov. 4th and I Voted For ...

Ah yes, this day has finally arrived!

I actually love voting day. This is the best day of the election process. Yes, a lot has to do with the fact that this morning is the beginning of the end of campaigning and campaign television ads. But, there are a couple of fundamental reasons I love this day other than the end of campaigning.

The Bedside Alarm Sounded Early

The alarm went of at 5:00 AM this morning, but it was not required. Since I rise early, this mornings alarm was for security reasons. Although I seldom have the alarm as my wake up notification, I knew that minutes either way this morning would put me way back in the line to vote. There are a lot of ambitious neighbors in River Hills.

Our precinct for River Hills, in Valrico, is at the clubhouse. If your early, as I usually am, you get to sit on a chair next to the entrance doors of the poll. As the second person in line, I know that my wait to vote is limited to exactly one hour. Polls open at 7:00 AM and so the wait time for me is now established.

But, the best part is sitting with neighbors for each election. I always meet someone new in our community and I always am sitting with someone I know.

This year I met Nancy for the first time. Nancy is a Dermatologist with her office in Brandon. Her issue is health cars, "of course" she adds. She is also active in mission trips, in particular to Haiti and Dominican Republic. Missions work is a topic of great passion for our family as four family members go to different parts of the world to serve those that have tremendous needs.

Ken lives on the same street and he was there. Ken and his family moved in this past summer and is enjoying the opportunity to be a part of our community.

Ruth from a couple of houses down the street was also there. "Yes, we got hit by the hogs!" I told her.

Her family and our family live on a beautiful conservation area that backs right up to River Hills. There are plans to submit a separate blog on "Life Backed up to Conservation" at a later time. As positive as our experiences over the last 10 years have been, we woke to a backyard uprooted by wild hogs. Stay tuned for that very next blog on that story!

7:00 AM and the line is alredy beginning to build!

But besides catching up with the neighbors and meeting new neighbors, this is a great day for a greater reason. I get to cast my vote!

That statement seems so simple and cliche. But, the candidates can not be more opposed in views than we have had running for the office of President in many years. I guess in the past having my candidate win was stressful. This election I don't feel the stress.

Oh, it is not because I am not passionate about my vote. I am! But I probably have more faith in my fellow Americans then ever before. So as this day ends and the votes are counted, I could find my candidate is "President Elect" or I could be on the losing side.

But, regardless of what side I end up on, I feel good about our process as much as I always have. Sometime tonight we will have one man concede and the other accept. And our country will continue to be great. And that is why, each time I vote, I know it is another vote for our freedoms.

Rick Frissell ~ Diamond Dwellings Realty

813 653 1241