Election is an Ending and a new Beginning

The day after an election always has the feel of a new chapter, a new beginning. The hard work is at once behind us and in front of us. But Wednesday morning’s sunlight seemed a bit brighter, the air a bit crisper. It was hard to determine whether this was ordinary or extraordinary. 

As Tuesday evening’s election results trickled in, my husband and I joined several of the Emmaus candidates and their supporters. It is one thing to simply put a check mark next to a name on a ballot, and quite another to speak with the candidates over beer and chips, exchanging ideas. Votes had been cast. We were no longer talking to contenders but to people – ordinary people: Individuals who have a vision of well-being for Emmaus and the determination to get the job done. They are people who understand the challenges facing our town; the ones who often have to face hard truths and make unpopular decisions; people who know better than to make a promise they can’t keep.          

We have elected public servants who perform their jobs by putting the interests of Emmaus and its residents before their own self-interest. They dedicate their energies and thousands of hours away from home and family in the name of making Emmaus one of the best places to live in the U.S. True leadership demands nothing less. In the same way that a church is not “of” the pastor but “of” the parishioners, Emmaus, like all communities, is “of” the citizens…the place where we live and play and work. Council members are both caretakers and citizens. In this regard, they are as much a stakeholder in Emmaus as each of its residents. Both candidates and electorate are drawn together in this common goal. As we say farewell to the 2011 campaign season, we can be sure of one thing:  The voters have spoken…and we have chosen well.