Cambios

Sitting in my dinning room, with a bowl of popcorn on one side and the computer on the other. There's a page open on Twitter, where I'm avidly following along the news about the electoral day in Mexico.

It's been months since the polls are showing Leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ahead, by a lot, from everybody else in the race for President, so, right now, in election day, the exit polls are offering nothing new in the prediction that he will win, however, this is more tangible so it feels definitive.

And speaking about feelings, how does it feel? There's a bunch of different feelings in me right now but one of the biggest is that I feel relieved that I didn't get to vote (living in Canada for many many years and not having a valid electoral ID)! Why? because I don't know if I could have chosen any of the candidates or, living with my choice after the results. 

But there's another big part of me that is feeling content. You see, I come from a family where almost everybody cheers for Lopez Obrador, like, with a passion and this guy has been running for prez three times already so they must be joyous. Then, when I think of their joy I also think on the millions of Mexicans that must be feeling the same. Those millions of Mexicans that for maybe all their life hadn't feel like power players in the political game in their country, and boy, what a nice feeling that is.

I know the feeling. Back in 2000 I had the chance to vote on the presidential election in my country, the year Vicente Fox, from the opposition, won the presidency that for almost a century had been in the hands of Mexican ruling party, the PRI. I voted for Vicente Fox, and boy oh boy, I felt powerful when he won. That feeling is what makes me sympathize with the majority of Mexicans today, and I with all honesty, rejoice in your power to bring about a change.

Now, there are a few things I really feel I must say, and maybe this is the part where I'll be raining in the parade of all those who voted for AMLO but i hope that amid all the joy and celebration, there's a place in the heart to see that changes, big changes always sprout from within. And those changes sprout not only from the power to vote and choose our governments but from how we go about with our lives.

Governments aren't filled with gods and saints that would miraculously make us prosper, healthier, richer, safer (even if they were all saints, we all know where that too leads us right?). Yes, we must demand honesty, transparency, hard work, that they make good on their promises and we should demand that they do all they can to make our cities safer, our jobs better paid, our hospitals and schools better staffed and all those things we need to to advance as society. However, we as individuals, as parents, grandparents, teachers, doctors, and whatnot, need to demand all those things, honesty, civility, respect, of ourselves first because, let's be honest, we have a long way to go in Mexico. 

So, I don't know where today's decision will lead Mexico, I hope with all my heart that it leads to changes and progress for those whose voices have long been silenced, but one thing I know, today I rise my glass (and popcorn) for the people who put their voices in the ballots and whose voices are now sounding loud and clear, even here, all these thousands of kilometres north.

Iveth