This past November 5, 2002 I again found myself punching out my ballot and voting for the best candidate I felt would serve my fellow citizens, and me. I realize that most people won’t remember my exercise in democracy, but I take pride in performing it. I shall not forget the open doorways to the voting booths have been kept open by the lubrication of Americans' blood on the hinges. Perhaps these thoughts, and self-indulgent in sentimentality, occur to me because of my age.

If our life consists of four seasons, starting with spring, I feel I have just experienced the turning of the leaves in autumn. And, with autumn, I have learned to accept the beauty of my gift of life. Like the aging trees that lose their camouflage of leaves, showing their strong trunks and branches, we as aging people are left with nothing but our character. The sum of our experiences, and the truthfulness of our living, represent our naked character, not unlike the leafless tree. Perhaps this is also a reflection of our country. I believe a nation is the totality of its people, and to truly endure in a democracy we must be able to stand tall without the decorations of liberty and the right to happiness; for words and promises are not the guarantee to actions and deeds. As an American, we must work for it.

A nation is only as secure as the morality of its aging citizens. If that security begins to decay, through loss of conviction to a moral set of principals, then the corner stone of a government can very well begin to crumble. A strong democratic society can only work when its constituents view it through the eyes of integrity. The objective of our founding fathers was for us to have equality, regardless of our political affiliations, or religion. For this principle to survive everyone must demonstrate a strength of character, like the leafless tree, we as American citizens must stand tall, and strong, without the camouflage of the fruits of our labor.

For our country to withstand this changing world, we must concentrate and make a supreme effort to take our elections seriously. It was on January 20, 1961 at John F. Kennedy’s inaugural when he said: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. I believe his words have never echoed so loudly as it does today. As the tree in autumn drops many different colors of leaves, in all shapes and sizes, the end result is that a strong trunk and branches will again grow leaves the following spring. Our elected government officials are leaves on our tree, and will drop from the branches, but we must keep our trunk strong. Regardless of our political affiliations, our race, sex, or religious beliefs.  Our country’s strength depends on all of us uniting and being heard as one voice. 

For all of you that took the time to vote, I applaud you. Perhaps your candidate was not elected, but you should feel proud of your participating in what is still the greatest government in the world. For you people that did not vote, and were eligible to, you should question just what kind of country do you want to live in? Perhaps you would prefer a country without trees. When the leaves fall from the branches, you chop down the tree.

The Death of JFK  What Does It Mean?  by Morris Heldt  11-22-03

Hypocrites  8/16/02   by Morris Heldt 

When Is Why The Answer To Who, What, Where and When?  7-22-02 by Morris Heldt

The Ultimate Battle April 12, 2002  by Morris Heldt