“What topics are important to you in this election season?”
I asked that question countless times over the course of the past five months as I campaigned for New Hampshire state representative. An elderly gentleman from Charlestown shared his story with me.
“I’ve lived here for 40 years, and my wife and I bought this property when we were first married. We raised our children here and now my grandchildren are visiting for the afternoon. But my wife died after some serious medical issues, and now I’m left to keep up the place on my social security and the income I can make from working at Hobby Lobby and the NH Liquor Store.
“I’ve worked hard my whole life. I supported my kids and then my wife, and now I’m tired. The property taxes on this place are killing me.”
Knocking on nearly 1500 doors brought a level of intimacy to my campaign that was missing from the select board or school board meetings I attended. Most people- at about 90 percent of doors I knocked – weren’t home or clearly didn’t want to talk. But at between 3-5 percent of homes, I’d find someone willing to share their story, thoughts, and worries with me. It was an honor to participate in a conversation with a near stranger, even though I had nothing to offer other than a willingness to listen, information about my campaign, and, if elected, the potential to help them at the State level.
I didn’t win my election, despite the time and effort I poured into the towns of Charlestown, Newport, Unity, Cornish, and Plainfield. Yet, the time wasn’t wasted. I was reminded repeatedly that times are hard and that my neighbors are resourceful and resilient but still struggling. The real-life trials and heartaches are not what one sees on social media. So often, we isolate and insulate ourselves from the risk of personal interaction that may be hard to bear.
Hannaford To Go has been a lifeline over the last four years as I try to keep up with the insatiable eating habits of my four boys. This past week, the app crashed, and instead of waiting for my groceries in the parking lot, I found myself wandering up and down the aisles looking for the items on my list. While shopping, I reconnected with two dear friends that I had not seen in months. It was an opportunity to share my election loss and my husband’s job search struggles. Not a typical Facebook post, but a meaningful and deep face-to-face interaction. The friends I reconnected with offered nothing but a listening ear and a gentle hug.
My conversation with the gentleman from Charlestown was interrupted by an adult son bringing out a load of trash and asking where it needed to go. I said goodbye and thank you before they moved on to finish up the rest of his Saturday chores. The adult son laughed and said his dad would talk to anyone.
I wish I’d taken a moment to tell the son that the gift of sharing and talking is what motivated me to knock on the next door and the next, and has the potential to heal and restore our world.
