It is true there is an election about to happen in our fair province.
Everyone is talking about it!
Well, pretty much everybody.
There are a few people, however, who are not!
I happened to be with some of them on Sat., April 18.
On this day, I had the chance to slip away from the norm of newspaper life, and into a world not governed by political candidates looking for ‘good ink’ to help rubber stamp a sure victory!
It is true the pen is mightier than the sword, and it seems politics can be a blood sport, so ‘press’ be it good or bad, is important.
As the date to the election draws closer, candidates are stepping carefully along a trail littered with the hot rocks of controversy.
Education. Health care. High taxes. Infrastructure.
Political forums are springing up everywhere, hence, reporters are out and about, scribbling in little notebooks furiously, looking for a way to write about new angles, new leads and new promises to very old issues.
And after long evenings when the crowd finally disperses, weary of promises easily made, easily broken, reporters close up their little notebooks and go home, or back to the office to untangle the political web weaved that particular evening, and turn in a non-biased, factual story.
However, on this particular Saturday, I attended something far more fun than a political forum!
I went to a cheer competition to watch my dear granddaughter perform!
And, of course, cheer her on!
A cheer competition is not for the weak of heart. The whole place kind of vibrated with noise and people!
We were given these brilliant orange bracelets and stood in a line-up that moved at the pace of a very slow snail for a very long time.
Finally, we found seats and, almost immediately, became part of the noise and the crowd. We carefully scanned the program, looking for our group.
Exelta! Yeah, there they were, fourth from the top.
When the group appeared, I, of course, had eyes only for her, and as she flipped and danced her way through their number, I felt that incredible burst of pride we grandmas get to feel for no other reason than just because.
Her performance was stellar, but it was her smile that caught my attention.
So lovely. So sincere. So pleasing.
And, as I watched her, I knew in my heart that I would travel many, many miles and endure a very loud noise level just to see that smile.
“I loved your smile,” I told her, later.
“Oh, grandma, we are told we have to smile,” she said. “That’s what we do.”
“Well, it worked,” I said. “It certainly pleased your grandma.”
The cheer competition is over. The girls were awesome, coming home with silver medals and their smiles, apparently pasted on for the crowd’s benefit, now real and genuine!
As for me, I’m happy I had the opportunity to step out of the pages of the newspaper world for awhile and just be a proud grandma!
And, best of all, I got to see her smile!
It made it all worthwhile.