Vote Vote Vote!

Today we stand on the precipice of yet another chance to vote. Yet another chance to make our voices heard. Yet another opportunity for us to be disappointed, or elated.

I'll be honest with you- I'm a bit tired. I'm tired of all the arguing, I'm tired of the biggest voices not being used, or being used in the wrong way. I'm tired of the lies, The Daily Mail, The Sun, and if I'm being completely honest, I'm tired of being on the losing team!! 

I was so excited to vote in the Independence Referendum- then my heart broke when I realised we'd lost. 

I was so excited to vote in the EU Referendum- then my heart broke when I realised we'd lost.

I was also really excited to vote in the recent local council elections- not just because my friend was a candidate, but because our city needed a change. But then my heart broke all over again when I realised that we'd lost AGAIN!

I keep voting, and I keep having my heart broken BUT the most important part of that sentence is that I KEEP VOTING! In spite of every loss I keep traipsing along to that wee church (which is so much further away from my flat that it looks on the map 😂) and I keep placing my vote. 

Voting is the KEY to a better future-use it! (or this was last minute I had no relevant photos haha)

The right to vote is so important! The chance to have your say, the chance to make a difference- it's all right there in front of you and all you have to do is make an X in a box. That's literally all you have to do. It was less than 100 years ago that women were chaining themselves to railings, and throwing themselves in front of horses, so they could have a chance to vote. Less than 100 years later and somehow we take that right for granted! 

I've heard all the excuses of course:

•  "I don't understand politics so I don't get involved."
• "One person's vote isn't going to make a difference."
• "It's not going to affect me anyway so why should I bother?"

The fact of the matter is , if you don't understand politics, enough to make a decision, it's time to educate yourself! I'm not asking you to go out and get a degree in politics, I'm not asking you to do anything that's particularly taxing at all. I'm saying talk to people, listen to the ones that DO understand politics, read manifestos, ask questions- get educated! 

"One person" is never just one person! There are probably 1000s of people thinking exactly the same thing, and let me tell you 1000 votes could be all the difference. Never think that you can't make a difference because you are just one person-bees are freaking tiny but without them we'd all be fucked! 

Now as for the last one...I want to say if you fall into this category then kindly take your "I'm alright Jack!" attitude and bibbidy bobbity back the fuck up off my page please take a second to think about how selfish that sounds- here I'll help:

"I'm alright none of this affects me so I don't mind if school children have to go without food at lunchtime."

"I'm alright so it doesn't matter to me that disabled people are having to crowdfund the very things they need to make their lives just bearable."

"I'm alright so why should I care about the fact that that lovely nurse that kept granny company, in her final moments, has to use a food bank to feed herself and her family?"

I could go on and on, but I wont. Instead I'll remind you that the world can turn on a dime- what is your normal today could change in an instant.

Between the last election and this one I have gone from being a perfectly "alright" healthy 20-something, to someone who attends the hospital a minimum of 8 times a month, takes around 22 pills a day, and can't wash her own hair, hold a pen, or walk to the end of her street without a considerable amount of pain. 

I was "alright" then but hundreds of thousands of people weren't, so I voted for them. Is it unfair of me to ask for the same common courtesy?

I don't intend to use this post to tell you who to vote for-only you can make that decision-although I think it's quite obvious who's box I wont be crossing when I get to the polls. I just want to remind you that it is so important to exercise your rights, please please don't waste your chance.