Welp, it’s Election Day.

Usually on Election Day, I am unabashedly gushing with pride for this amazing democracy, my heart bursting with love for my country. I’m not gonna lie. It’s not unheard of for me to get a little teary. I stand in line, looking at all my neighbors, each of us with exactly the same chance to have our say. From the suited-up Wall Street banker to me in the jeans I may or may not have worn yesterday. I imagine every American across the land, going to have their vote counted on exactly the same day. Peacefully. Democratically. Patriotically.

We bring the kids with us. As we stand in line, we remind them that we don’t talk about who we’re voting for while we’re there, because everyone should be free to vote their conscience. We each bring one of our kids into the booth with us to watch as we press the button next to the ballot question or candidate of our choice. Then we all walk to a local breakfast spot and get hot chocolate for the kids and pancakes for everyone.

My husband teases me about my tears, as I try to act normal. Hey, no big deal. We just helped to perpetuate the oldest democracy in the world. We just joined all our fellow citizens in choosing the course ahead. Generations of Americans, including women just like me, fought and died to give me the right to do what I just did. Like George Washington said, freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness. But don’t mind me, I just have something in my eye.

Our vote is so precious that the most powerful people in our country spend years of their lives and many millions of dollars trying to influence how we use it. They do everything in their power to deploy our vote to benefit them. Or their cause. Or their business. Or their pocketbook. Or their family. Or their idea of what this country should stand for.

But in the end, the vote is ours. It’s a secret, between us and the future of the democracy we love. No one is looking over our shoulder. We can cast it in any way we choose. To hold every leader accountable. To demand the best and brightest. To broaden the promises of this great land to include more and more and more of us. The vote is ours. We decide. We the People.

This country isn’t perfect. That’s certainly clear in 2020. And democracy isn’t perfect. And this democracy, in particular, is definitely not perfect. I know. Every ideal I just weepily described above changes and gets a little scuffed up when it comes down to rest on the real earth beneath all our equal feet.

Not everyone gets to vote. And some votes are disparaged in favor of others. Votes counted quickly are prized over votes counted slowly and methodically. Votes from some states decide the outcome, while votes from other states don’t. Some votes will be challenged. Some candidates say they won’t respect the vote. Some voters will be intimidated. Or lied to. Or threatened.

Our democracy has never been perfect, but this is an election like no other. Our leaders are hard at work to bend our democracy to their will. There are threats of violence. Many of us are terrified.

I wish, somehow, I could make this big, beautiful country live up to its promises. Especially now. Those promises that are so riveting and inspiring, they’ve launched a million dreams. They’ve filled us with dignity and hope, even those of us who were left out at the beginning. They’ve rocketed a nation of scrappy immigrants to the moon and beyond.

But I’m just one humble person. One citizen. I don’t have that power. I can’t right all the wrongs. I can’t force leaders to respect our votes. Or to do anything, really.

All I can do is speak. I’m just one person but I can stand up. I can use my presence and my voice to demand democracy. I can go where I can go, and I can say what I can say. I can speak up for others. I can put my body and my voice in the way. And I can choose what to stand for.

So on this Election Day, as we prepare for whatever lies ahead, I’ve decided to stand. And here’s what I’m going to stand for:

I stand for every citizen having the vote.

I stand for every single vote getting counted.

I stand for everyone having the freedom to vote their conscience.

I stand for accepting the result of a fair election, even if it’s not what I wanted.

I stand for the right of everyone to express themselves freely in peaceful demonstration and speech, even if I don’t agree with what they say.

I stand for a peaceful transfer of power, respecting the will of the people.

So, my friend. Now it’s your turn. No matter who you voted for, we’re in this together. Will you stand with me?

What will you stand for?

(PS - If you’re new around here, welcome! Adventure Kitchen is a local, small-batch maker of original spice blends and prepared foods, and I’m the founder and chief creator. Separately, I send a weekly email with recipes and cooking suggestions. If you’d like to follow along with that, you can sign up on this page. And if you’d like to support my small business, you can buy our products online. We ship everywhere of course, and we deliver locally for free!)