Best of all possible worlds
Bet ya' can't wait to get into the booth and make your mark for democracy. Bet ya' real excited about this election. Come October 3, you're sure to be up early and down at the local school hall before the bunting's up.
Democracy is a wonderful thing. Here we are, almost on the threshold of another century. Behind us stretch years of war and revolution, heartache, dyspepsia and pain.
When you pick up that HB pencil to make your mark, I ask you to take a moment to recall the thrill of it all.
You'll be standing at the very pinnacle of human endeavour as we know it. The history of all hitherto existing societies have led almost inexorably to this one act you are about to perform.
You live, work (well, some of us do) and play in the best of all possible worlds. You do! You are a lucky so and so. You have democracy. There are many people in other countries who would give their eyeteeth to be as fortunate as you. You have the right to vote for whomsoever you choose.
It seems apt that the vote will be taken on the feast day of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus. With her on your side you're sure to mark the ballot paper under the influence of some pretty divine ordination.
Will the earth move? I don't know. All we can say is that those few private moments you are to spend alone in the booth can be a very spiritual time, a time during which you may seek to disembody yourself briefly and take an inventory.
A quiet moment spent within your deeper recesses may make all the difference to the future of this country. This is an important deed being asked of you. This land and its multitudinous inhabitants await your decision.
Unfortunately, messages I have received over the last fortnight from Saint Teresa indicate that the heavenly seraphim couldn't give a brass razoo about our impending ballot. The department upstairs has gone on strike and refuses to process any election results unless we vote to bring back the divine right of kings.
Of course, Tessa said how sorry she was. But being sorry won't fill up the empty seats in Parliament House will it?
We have a duty in that regard. With rights come responsibilities. As I said to Tessa, "it may be all right for you lot to put your feet up, but down here we've got an election to run. It's all cut and thrust from here on in. All we're asking for is a sign."
But no, I'm afraid this election is not judged worthy enough to be a blessed act.
So my friends, the deed that is asked of us may not be a holy deed, and the men who seek our vote may not be holy men, but we are a pragmatic people; and pragmatic people know that in the best of all possible worlds ... anything is possible.
But not at this election.
Dave Riley