Yes, voting is both a privilege and a duty that requires preparation. This civic duty involves more than registering in advance and then showing up at the polling place, or pre-registering to vote by mail. Ideally, democracy requires that the people are free to make their voice heard by making informed choices on a private ballot. An informed choice requires advance time and effort---called preparation---to research the differences among all of the possible candidates, as well as the issues involved in the approval of initiatives, amendments, and measures for approval. This means reading about and listening to each candidate speak, as well as gathering all information available on initiatives, amendments and measures before voting! With the technology and media options available today, this research is much easier than it used to be prior to internet access. Therefore, we of the twenty-first century have no excuse not to prepare to make informed choices on election day!
Ideally, the physical body also requires preparation to go into each day. A daily morning yoga practice helps to physically prepare the body by establishing a regular rhythm of conscious breathing and slow, breath-synchronized movements to warm the muscles and joints. Mentally, the mind needs this daily discipline to become less scattered, more sharpened and focused on whatever the chosen object of attention happens to be. For a Christian this would be the ever-present Holy Spirit within. Meanwhile the spirit becomes more aware of this connection as it yokes to the living Presence of God. A disciplined, daily connection builds a strong relationship with your Creator that will carry you through the roughest days of illness or loss. Simply ask for the help, believing, and it is there. As I endured days 3 and 4 of my third cycle of aggressive chemotherapy, I called upon the Lord for this help and He was there for me, lifting me when I physically and literally couldn't lift myself. Try this preparation for yourself each morning, remembering these Scriptural Promises:
- "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, KJV)
- "And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest...." (Genesis 28: 15a, KJV)
- For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39, KJV)
