I've never missed a vote. You?

I've voted in every election since I was able to vote.

I'm not bragging. I'm just saying that it's something that I've always done.

Why have I always voted?

Yes, it's something that "should" be done. Yes, it's super easy.

But there are a lot of easy things that I "should" do and have never considered doing.

Yet, I have always voted.

I think it has to do with the way I grew up.

You see, I am invisible to my family. My father used to say that I was the child who never seemed to need anything.

This is code for "When you ask for things, no one is listening." And truth be told, they were not listening.

They still don't listen.

I'm as invisible today to my family as I was growing up.

Members of my family quite literally do not remember me. I shared a room with a sister who literally has no memories of me in her life. We shared a room with for thirteen years.

When I speak with them, they don't ask how I am or what I'm doing.

They drone on and on and on and on about their lives. I'm just the fly on the other end of the line who listens, tried to help, and then is forgotten.

How does this relate to voting?

I vote because it's my chance to say what I want to have happen. I get to give my opinion on whether this or that should happen -- and how.

That's heady stuff for a middle child.

Someone asks my opinion about something and is interested in tallying it??

Seriously?

I'm there.

Do you vote? If so, have you wondered why? If you don't vote, what's your reason for it?

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