Now or never

I’m thinking about freedom and opportunity today.

Thinking about my Italian immigrant grandfather, who fought in World War I with the U.S. Army. Thinking of his sons, my uncles, who served in the Pacific theater in World War II and had very long and productive lives. About my dad, who served in Germany during the Cold War and later was a NYC firefighter. And about my older brother, who sailed with the U.S. Navy.

And I’m thinking about my mom. And her mom. And her mom’s mom. Their struggles. Their hard-fought freedoms. Their sacrifices that paved the road of opportunities for a kid from a blue-collar New York upbringing who scraped and saved to go away to college. Who worked his way up through a career in television and later, corporate communications. And who later in life still enjoys the freedom–and the audacity–to write a novel and publish it.

I’m thinking about how all of this is only possible when our liberties and our opportunities are nurtured and protected. And I’m willing to fight for them—to preserve these rights for my children. And for theirs.

But luckily, I don’t have to fight, and maybe die, for them as did my predecessors.

I just have to vote.