Choosing Clothes and Casting Votes

Clothe yourself with compassion.

Choose your identity and cast your vote.

Reflect on the beauty of life, and respond in gratefulness.

Compassion, identity, and gratefulness. As I read through some of my old daily journals, I've noticed several reflections on these three ideas and lessons. How we clothe ourselves is our daily decision. Sometimes we are mindful of this decision. Sometimes the decision is made in haste. Either way, we are showing ourselves to the world. We will be seen.

I’m not too concerned about impressing others with my clothes. Being clean, comfortable, and presentable is usually about the limit of my thoughts on my clothes. But I love choosing to clothe our inward selves and our daily intentions. As we prepare to encounter our world, our neighbors, how better to be clothed than with compassion. This is an intention, a decision, and a practice to consider each day.

In another reflection, I considered James Clear’s idea to choose my identity and cast my vote. In the serenity prayer, we ask for the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. So one thing we CAN do is choose our identity. I can take action as I think about who I currently am and who I wish to be. But only when I dare to change the things within my control. So I’ve decided I want to write, I want to self-actualize, and I want to serve this world by loving my neighbors. This is the identity I’ve chosen. I’m the kind of person who does these things. That’s part one. Part two is casting a vote. I choose with every action I choose. I choose and I commit to writing every day. That is a vote for my identity as a writer. I choose and I commit to making myself better in mind, body, and spirit. That is a vote. I choose and commit to serving others, my neighbors. Every action with this intention is a vote. So far, the election seems to be going well over these past few Novembers, and I am grateful for these clothes, this identity, and each of these votes.

This year, I reminded myself to reflect on the beauty of life. There is so much that can lead us to be afraid, concerned, anxious, angry, and depressed. But there is also so much to bring us joy, hope, love, and peace. We find what we seek. So may we seek the good and recognize the beauty in life. Along with compassion, gratitude is a wonderful piece of clothing. Gratitude is a powerful identity. May we be courageous as we take our daily votes. As we respond to God, to life, to our neighbors, and to ourselves with compassion and gratitude.