We are in the home stretch.
November 3 is just around the corner, and if you are anything like me, you are probably feeling the weight of the days leading up to it. The conversations, the headlines, the campaign signs, the endless stream of opinions and information. There is a certain urgency that comes with an election, particularly one that has so much riding on it. And while it is important to pay attention, to be informed, and to make our voices heard, I think there is something else worth remembering as we make our way toward the finish line.
Last week, I spent a day driving the roads of Stanly County, taking pictures for the paper. I found myself on roads I rarely travel, particularly this time of year, when the leaves are changing and the landscape is nothing short of gorgeous.
As I drove, I started thinking about how often we take a step back and actually look at the beauty in front of us. How often do we allow ourselves to slow down rather than rush through the day? How often do we travel Indian Mound Road, Austin Road, Valley Drive, or any of the countless roads that take us off 24/27, 52, or 73? How often do we appreciate the land around us instead of simply choosing the path of least resistance?
It struck me that there is probably a lesson in that.
We spend so much of our time moving from one thing to the next, focused on where we are going, what needs to be done, and how quickly we can get there. We can become so consumed with the destination that we forget to appreciate the place we are actually living in. And sometimes, we become so caught up in the noise surrounding us that we lose sight of the things that matter most.
As we approach November 3, it is easy to get caught up in that noise. It is easy to become frustrated, discouraged, angry, or exhausted. It is easy to believe that every conversation must become an argument and every disagreement a dividing line. But our community is bigger than an election, and our relationships with one another should be bigger than our differences at the ballot box.
That doesn’t mean the issues don’t matter. They do. The decisions made by those we elect have real consequences for our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our future. Voting matters. Paying attention matters. Showing up matters. We should never mistake civility for indifference or allow the desire for peace to become an excuse for silence.
But we should also remember what we are working toward.
We live in a beautiful place. Not just because of the rolling landscape, the changing leaves, or the familiar roads that wind through our county, but because of the people who call this place home. The people who show up for their neighbors, support local businesses, volunteer their time, care for their families, and work to make Stanly County a little better than it was yesterday.
Those things don’t disappear because we disagree. They don’t become less important because an election is approaching.
So, in these final days, stay engaged. Do your homework. Have the conversations. Ask the questions. But most importantly, make a plan to vote on Tuesday, November 3. If you’ve already voted, encourage someone else to do the same. Check on your neighbors, make sure your friends know where to go, and don’t assume someone else will carry the responsibility for you.
This election matters. Your voice matters. And the decisions made on Tuesday will help shape the communities we live in, the opportunities available to our children, and the direction we take moving forward. You don’t have to agree with your neighbor to recognize the importance of their voice, and you don’t have to share someone’s politics to care about their future.
But also, take the long way home every once in a while.
Get off the highway. Drive a road you haven’t traveled in a while. Notice the colors in the trees, the fields, the homes, and the familiar corners of this county. Look around. Remember why this place matters to you.
On Tuesday, show up for it. Show up for your family, your neighbors, your community, and the future you want to see. Show up because the opportunity to have a say in that future is not something we should take for granted.
And when the signs come down, the votes are counted, and the campaign conversations finally quiet, we will still be here. We will still share these roads, these communities, and this beautiful little corner of North Carolina.
Don’t just take the long way home. Take the time to help shape where home is headed. Vote Tuesday, November 3.