Friday, October 12, 2012

On becoming a citizen



Ten year old Laura announced recently that she favored Mr. Romney for president.  There’s little television for them to watch, and no more radio than the weather radio, so I asked her what brought her to that conclusion.  “Phyllis likes him,” she said.

It’s a pleasure to have children underfoot again.  In the giant scheme, they don’t change much.  A little more precocious, perhaps, but growing consciousness remains a treasure.  I love that every little child wants to grow up to save the world.  I remember Spiderman this summer, casting the net on Dr. Octopus, or worse.


I’ve teased many of my nieces and nephews about becoming citizens.  Even my daughter admits she has become a citizen.  To achieve that status you only need to begin contributing to the society in which you live, paying back. 

Ideas need tested, sorted, adopted, discarded on the way to growing up. I recall suffering through many of them with my daughters, years ago.  And watching phases that made me smile.  When she drove Grumbelly, twenty five years ago, Beth certainly was a communist: from each according to his means, to each according to his need.  That made me smile as it would never come to be.  She put in years of work and experience to buy and then make her little restaurant, The Grovewood, an award winning little place.  She reckons she has improved her corner of the world doing something she’s proud of that also provides a living for thirty people.  Or, according to mom, she’s a citizen.

Laura lives in a house where the prevalent political current is generally against her, although I have to admit, if she could vote, our household would come out a zero.  It will be interesting to watch the phases as she goes along. 

Sadly the debates are televised past her bed time.  I wonder what her opinion would be of last night’s vice presidential affair.  She and I have watched some History Channel programs and I am intrigued by her grasp and often interesting analysis of the information.  Reminiscent of my daughters making and acting on opinions.  There was a trial bus service to the county in the seventies.  It went on the ballot for funding and both girls, who were near Laura’s current age, campaigned for the issue.   It failed and they were disappointed.  The bus could take them to the library and the mall on four wheels, not the two each peddled.  Of course today, almost forty years later, there are LakeTran busses and bus stops everywhere in Lake County.

I’m thinking I may let Laura stay up late for the next debate.  I wonder if anything she sees or hears will overcome her very best friend’s presidential endorsement.


12 comments:

  1. Out of the mouths of babes. Children are fantastic.

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  2. Better to be a citizen (giving back) then to worry about politics anyway.

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  3. Because my parents often spoke about politics, i grew up interested in the subject They always voted for the person they liked, not a party. I never remember them hating or bad mouthing a candidate, they usually just liked one over the other. How different it is today where the tone has become so heated and full of negatism spurred on by the pundits who fuel the fire.

    I hope you let Laura stay up and watch the debate. Please let us know her reaction.

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  4. The very first presidential race I have memory of is Kennedy and Nixon. I must have been about 7 and I liked the way "Nixon" rolled off my tongue. When I think about that now, I find it to be a silly reason to elect someone president. I was a second grader, what did I know? What is crazier than that? There are adults out there with absolutely no idea why they choose to vote for either candidate. I would venture to guess that my 7 year old reasoning may be the basis of some votes cast on November 6!

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  5. My kids seem to be much deeper thinkers than I ever was :)

    I love that you find your granddaughters interesting and fun, and that you want to give them opportunities to learn even more.

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  6. Contributing to the community in which one lives is such a wonderful way to become a citizen. I love it.
    And please, I am joining with Starting Over..., if Laura stays up to watch the debate can we hear what she makes of it?

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  7. Sometimes I wish if only to return to the simple times and thoughts as if a child, although I am not a communist, the idea sounds rather good right now because of my own needs and the greater needs of so many others. But not sure I would want the government deciding who has a need and who doesn't.

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  8. If she is showing interest, I'd say let her watch the debates now and again.
    Politics was never discussed in my home, I didn't even know there were politicians or what they did, until I got to high school. Even then I wasn't interested, because I couldn't understand any policies and nobody explained any of it.

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  9. I have not been excited about a presidential debate or election since kennedy vs nixon. sad, I know

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  10. that's great that your grandgirls are interested.

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  11. So wonderful to hear that views are discussed and exchanged in your household. Would that every household would discuss matters of our countries and raise our children with an awareness of the importance of their vote and their voice. Thank you for improving your little corner of things!

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  12. She must be a very intelligent little girl, she is obviously taking an interest in politics at a young age and likes to use her mind. You must be proud of her.

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