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23rd April – Election Day


My office was closed on Election Day. Days before, I had found out my exact number, polling booth etc. from the Internet. So on D-Day yours truly went and cast her precious vote.


‘So, where’s the story here ?’ you may ask.


No story. One lament and one reiteration of belief.


Lament: From the minute I locked my house to the minute I was opening the lock as I returned, it took me exactly, and only, 30 minutes to cast my vote. And still there are so many people in my immediate contact that didn’t vote. Despite having access to the Internet and the data related to our polling booths, the candidates etc. Despite the fact that it hardly takes 30 minutes. Despite the fact that the government makes sure that there is holiday on that day so that there isn’t a loss of income.


Two: I can’t say it enough and I will repeat it till eternity’s end. It is my firm belief and experience. One vote, one voice, one person, does make a difference.


I had read this story in ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ and I reproduce it here as best as I can:

A man walking on one of the thousands of beaches along the west coast of USA saw another one approaching in the distance. He saw that the other man was periodically bending down to pick something up and throwing it into the ocean. As the other man came closer the first man saw that the other man was picking up starfish washed up on the shore and throwing them back into the ocean. As they came face to face, the first man asked the other one, “Why do you do that ? Don’t you realise that there are thousands of beaches on the west coast of USA and thousands of starfish wash up on each beach every day. What difference will it make ?” Smiling, as he picked up another starfish and threw it back into the ocean, the other man said, “It made a difference to that one”.

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