Men have always had the right and privilege of voting.  However, women have not.  Wikipedia states that:  “The Nineteenth Amendment (Amendment XIX) to the United States Constitution prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex. It was adopted August 18, 1920.”  There were only thirty-six states at the time who had to ratify it.  California ratified it on November 1, 1919.  Below is a copy of the Nineteenth Amendment in the National Archives.

Being raised in a very patriotic family of four women and one man, women’s rights, responsibilities, and privileges were discussed with full support from my Father.  One of the most important rights and privileges was that of voting.  It was impressed on me the importance of voting as my personal way to express my desires at the local, state, and national levels.  There were no protests or other public outcries where I lived; there was respect for the privilege and for the right to vote and for individual opinions.

Efforts for women’s suffrage (Suffrage meanings quoted in part from Wiktionary are:  The right or chance to vote, express an opinion, or participate in a decision.  A vote in deciding a particular question.  The right to vote for elected officials in a representative democracy.  The right of women to vote.  A prayer, for example a prayer offered for the faithful dead.  A short petition, as those after the creed in matins and evensong.  Intercession.  Testimony; attestation; witness; approval.) began in 1789 with all states denying voting rights to women (with the exception of New Jersey, which initially carried women’s suffrage but revoked it in 1807).  Numerous movements and organizations dedicated to women’s rights existed and fought for women’s rights from that time until the Nineteenth Amendment was passed.  It took 131 years to do so.  What incredible dedication and perseverance on my behalf and that of all women.  Spirit urging and supporting those women of strength and courage to continue until the rights were legally made available to all.  What an enormous gift!

My gratitude and respect knows no bounds for all of the women, and men, who fought for my right to vote, to express an opinion, participate in a decision, and more.  From the time I was eligible to first vote in an election, I have voted every time.  The opportunity to choose to exercise that privilege and right is sacred to me as it honors the teachings of my family and all those who made it possible before my time.

When I traveled, I had a mail-in ballot and I voted no matter where I was.  There are places in the world where women are not held in high esteem and have few rights.  As my awareness expanded, Spirit impressed upon me the importance of honoring the privileges and rights I have been given by living in this country.  They are precious beyond my knowing.

My voter information guide and mail-in ballot came a few days back.  I read each carefully, marked my votes as instructed, and mailed it in.  I said a pray of thanks for this great privilege, for the ease with which I can vote, for all those involved in the voting process, and for the freedom voting represents.  Spirit keeping me aware of how very blessed I am in all ways.  I pray I never lose the awareness of how precious and fragile these privileges and rights are.

Reggie likes to vote about when he gets to eat breakfast and dinner, and when he gets treats.  He gets his breakfast around 5:30 am and his lunch around 2:00 pm.  If I don’t get his lunch ready when he wants it, he barks his vote to have it now by jumping up on me or walking around my chair in the office until I get up and get it for him.  When he wants his treats at night he goes in front of the cupboard where his treats are stored and stands there until I come to get some for him.  He is grateful I listen to his vote and give him what he wants when he wants it.  Rights and privileges to vote, express an opinion, be heard, and participate are held in a sacred place, honored, respected, and cherished by each of us.  Nancy and Reggie♥

Sunday after church, my car would not start so one of the men with a small pickup put jumper cables on the battery and tried to start it.  Since it would not start, the men thought it was the starter or the electrical system.  So, I called AAA and a huge tow truck came and the driver wanted to try to start it again with the jumper cables.  It started immediately.  Spirit was demonstrating that when you want to get something started, you need to have the right amount of power.

When things like this happen, I look for the spiritual message as it relates to me and my energy, vibration, and frequency.  Last month I stopped all of the things I have been doing just to let myself be.  My internal battery needed recharging as the last three years have been about me moving to a new location, getting acquainted, starting different spiritual events and activities, and getting my home upgraded.  Spirit was calling me to move from doing back into being.

Each day since I stopped doing all of these things, I allow whatever Spirit calls forth.  Some days I write blogs, in books I am writing, letters to family, and emails.  Some days, I visit with my phone friends, read, and watch television.  Every day I go for walks and walk in my garden letting nature enfold me in love, lightness, and joy.  Spirit connecting me to that which nurtures and delights me.

Recently, I have been writing letters to those I am going to pass things on to, letting them know of the history of the thing I am passing on, the feelings I experienced by wearing or owning the thing, and about the qualities of the person who owned it.  I tell them about the qualities I see in them that drew me to pass the item on to them.  It is living history and passing on family qualities for this generation and those to come, if they so choose.  Spirit guiding me in my words and choices of what to pass on to whom.

It is important to me to keep the family batteries charged with information and things that would not be known except for my passing them on with letters.  The information and things are not important, but the love that these things held is.  For it is love that passes from one generation to another; love for each other, love for the qualities each family member carries, and love for tradition, legacies, and Spirit.  Spirit is ever expanding my awareness by my just being.

I left the car at the dealer’s service department on Sunday so they could work on it Monday.  A sales man was there when I left it, wrote a note to the service manager and told me he would see that it was taken care of on Monday.  Monday, the car got a new battery and is ready to go for another few years.  Spirit made it easy for me to have the car started by the tow truck driver rather than it having to be towed, had a man at the dealer to help me, and saw that my vehicle was ready to drive by Monday afternoon.  This is how my life flows so effortlessly by being open to Spirit and listening.

This is a place of great peace and fulfillment as my battery is charged in each moment by Spirit.  By being I radiate a gentle, soft energy, vibration, and frequency.  There is a stillness, a silence, a calmness, and a peace that fills me.  It is my soul knowing I am being exactly what is perfect in each moment.  It is knowing that Spirit is there for me with each breath I take.  It is Spirit mirroring to me that I am being the bliss that emanates The Other Side.

Reggie’s battery gets recharged with his numerous naps during the day.  He will be running around outside, then bound through his doggie door, run into my office, lay down on the floor and go to sleep.  He listens to Spirit instantly and just allows himself to be in each moment.  Blessings abound with Spirit flowing into each of us, recharging our batteries, and guiding us through life with ease and grace each step of the way.  Nancy and Reggie♥