kindness and strangers and politics

So we have been out of town at the cottage [where I still do not have internet access] tons of stuff has happened in the past week+ and I am pretty sure I will never remember it all.

While we were away the MN senate race finally got finished. What a relief more money and resources will no longer be flowing down that hole. I know a lot of people who voted independent in that race because they really liked Barkley than the other two candidates [and I don't blame them] but it really bit us on the ass this time with having the race be so close that we have been short a senator for 6 months. I happen to dislike Coleman personally, so I would have voted for a dog to keep him out of office.

But politics is not the thrust of this post, it is a much happier topic how kind strangers can be. We were on our way home from the cottage, a caravan of 2 vehicles, and had just made it out to the state highway when a hose going into the heater core blew on the volvo.

I won't bore anyone with details but 5 hours later we were on our way again with an excellent patch job because of a couple of guys and their incredibly patient families who spent 2.5 hours helping us get back on the road. I am amazed once again by how kind people can be. We knew they weren't doing it for money but we tried to get them to take something to at least treat them to dinner but they all refused. May the blessings of all the goddesses rain down on their heads.

We also had someone else stop to help earlier, before we realized we couldn't fix it on our own and I was rendered speechless by his 'vote for marriage between one man and one woman only' bumper sticker. I appreciated that he stopped and offered help but I couldn't help wondering what he would have done if he had known we were gay [and married] Very odd situation. I was distracted, offended, and grateful all at the same time.

So the usual 2 hr 15 min trip took 8 hours and left me with a lot to ponder. I have to think that being kind to strangers [and those you know] is more important than how you vote. I hope I can carry the kindness forward through this month.