I’ve never had a broken bone. (Can you hear me knock on wood?) But like all of us, I’ve had friends who have not only suffered the pain of a break, but the effects of the cast as well.
The cast comes off and often the muscle seems to have shrunk. A muscle not used tends to atrophy. Conversely, a strengthened muscle is developed from careful use. This is important for all our bodily structures. Reverts back to that “use or lose it” maxim.
It’s also an excellent analogy for our civic muscle as well. Taking care to partake in the exercise of civics, whether local, state or national, makes us collectively a stronger community and individually a responsible citizen.
How to Exercise this Hidden Muscle
The first step in this exercise plan is being an informed voter. That is indeed two actions; both marking a ballot and informing yourself before you do it. Granted this is easier in states with a handy voters’ guide pamphlet containing candidates and ballot measures, but even without such a guide there are myriad ways to search information online (such as the League of Women Voters Vote 411 project).
Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport
Lotte Scharfman,
A Refugee from Nazi Germany
(Often erroneously attributed to
Geroge P. Schultz, former U.S. Secretary of State)
I have few friends who only vote in the November “general” election and skip the primary elections. Admittedly, some of us like me (a registered non-affiliated voter) have limited or nonexistent primary ballots.
Still, the more you vote (including participation in primaries), the stronger your voting muscle becomes and the more you learn. Furthermore, it isn’t just for our personal advantage.
Preparing the Younger Generation
As we get older, becoming model citizens for younger family members or friends is vital. Even if we are still employed, working in self-projects or committed to what feels like full-time volunteer work, we have learned to schedule time for essential events. Perhaps in younger decades voting seemed like an afterthought, a chore we “hoped to fit in” our calendar. I suspect that most of my readers share my conviction that we’ve learned civic engagement deserves a far more robust approach.
Here at Aging_with_Pizzazz we’ve posted pictures of buff figures of 90 years or older. They may be running a mini-marathon, lifting weights or any other number of muscle building activities. It’s inspiring. I assert that we can all do something similarly inspiring. Get involved. It’s never too late.
What to Do? My Final Thought
Be active in your community, speak out against wrongs, write a letter to your congressmembers, commissioners, councilors or editors, volunteer with civic groups, keep yourself informed AND vote.
As most of us live in areas where primaries are approaching, let that be your first step. Find out your election timeline (visit Vote411.org or your county elections website). Make certain you are registered. Double check to be sure. (If you’ve recently moved, even down the street, you may have to re-register.) And finally, learn what issues or candidates are on your ballot.
Exercise Your Civic Muscle
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Title picture: Man pointing to biceps – by Senivpetro via freepik.com
