It started as a joke. Someone on my Facebook feed said I should run for office and I responded that I had considered the role of Prime Minister. The bantering went back and forth between my friends about the viability of that option. Some poked fun, some jumped in with encouragement, and others remained on the periphery in stunned silence wondering what Joy might do next. My smart-mouth comment had stirred some reaction causing me to think about who my perfect candidate might be. Alberta had just come out of the most unlikely election results voting a seriously inexperienced but hopeful government into place. Suddenly all the things that I had always held as truths about candidates and elections were placed in the glaring light of reality.
The last provincial election challenged the stories I held as truths and turned them into falsehoods. At the risk of sounding naive or even downright stupid, I decided to share my falsehoods with you on the off chance that you might have believed the same nonsense. My falsehoods read as follows:
The last provincial election challenged the stories I held as truths and turned them into falsehoods. At the risk of sounding naive or even downright stupid, I decided to share my falsehoods with you on the off chance that you might have believed the same nonsense. My falsehoods read as follows:
- The perfect candidate is always well connected with powerful people.
- The perfect candidate is exceptionally smart.
- The perfect candidate is wealthy or comes from a wealthy family.
- The perfect candidate has unusual and broad experience.
- The perfect candidate has a law or political science degree.
- The perfect candidate is anyone but me.
I was not perfect therefore the perfect candidate could not possibly be me. My thoughts on perfection were prodded further by overhearing a conversation my husband had with the dog. He was giving her a good ear scratch while she gazed adoringly into his eyes. As he scratched he said, "Kanti you are the most perfectly beautiful dog when both your ears stand up straight." You see, our German Shepherd has one ear that only stands up when she is really on alert. Otherwise she has one droopy ear that makes her look quite lovable but not perfect. The droopy ear does not prevent her from being the best companion ever. It doesn't impact her ability to guard house and home very effectively. In many ways the droopy ear makes her more loveable looking, a little more approachable. And she remains Greg's perfect dog, droopy ear and all. Perfect candidates are like the dog with the droopy ear, less than perfect but committed.
I'm not a perfect candidate because I have peed in a cup. Granted it was my own empty disposable coffee cup on the side of the Coquahalla Highway in a pinch. I'm not the perfect candidate because I have made prank calls over forty years ago to a boy I had a crush on. I'm not the perfect candidate because I have a tendency to lose my lip filter every now and then saying things that might be politically incorrect. I'm not the perfect candidate because I have a faith-life and firm belief that we are part of something larger we don't understand. I'm not the perfect candidate because my husband said I'd hate being in the public eye and he is right it would wear on me.
What about you? Are you the perfect candidate? Are you less than perfect but committed? If so, Canada needs you now more than ever and if you need someone to be one of your hundred signees on the election papers let me know. We have another election coming and it will be an important one for our country.
Comments
Post a Comment