a day of such magnitude

it started at the polls at 7am. the little old ladies had made all these homemade goodies. i got my ballot and before i could even fill in the bubble next to his name, i paused.

for a good second or two.

and held my breath at the importance of one little blackened oval.

then i filled it in with a smile and a quickened heart.

later in the afternoon i picked up a broken sand dollar that lives by my computer at work. turning it over i happened to look inside: tightly folded up, was a note in my best friend's handwriting. "today is the day" - eden. she had planted the little scrap of blue paper months ago so that i could find it at the perfect moment. and it gave me so much hope that today is that moment. THE DAY. as well as every subsequent day for eight years.