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Eh elections … Eh those emotions of people connected with power, people voting, hesitating to vote, wondering – who to vote for in the second round.
In silence, I watched what was happening around me recently. Political choices, private choices, career choices, moral choices – many of these choices have cast a shadow over my daily life lately. For this reason I fell asleep on the day of the second round of the presidential elections very tired and quite early.
This morning I was awakened by a blow to the face made by the heel of my sweet daughter, 2 and 10 months old, who, mumbling something in her sleep, turned over to her other side. Her legs were on my head and her head was somewhere under the couch. I barely opened my eyes, darkened by the force of the blow, and, not yet quite knowing what was happening around me, I heard my husband’s voice: “Duda won the election”.
I don’t know what time it was, it was awfully morning. It was the first sentence that was spoken to me that day. I sobered up in an instant.
I realized how important it is for many people around me who wins the election.
Two weeks ago I heard a certain Pole living abroad say: it does not matter to me who wins, it will not change anything in Poland. It doesn’t matter how Poland changes, I am leaving, there is no point in living here. You have different values, we have different values. The president has nothing to say in Poland anyway, what can he do? The whole system would have to change. It doesn’t work at all…
I am a bit saddened by this approach, because this is a penny of patriotism for my political taste. I am here in Poland because I still believe that I can be happy in this country, family and professional fulfillment, that I can influence what is happening here locally and centrally. That I can be a Pole serving in my country for its development and building its beauty. But it is difficult not to admit to the emigrant Poles that it is not easy to live, work and serve in Poland. I know a lot about it, because my husband and I are raising five children and we have to put a lot of work into the functioning of the home and family. Not only educational work, but also professional work, which could probably have looked different had it not been for Polish regulations. We also know what people are like here and how difficult it is sometimes to find civic attitudes, or to understand such attitudes when we display them.
Today, a Pole living with me at home, in the first sentence he said to me that day, showed me that it is of great importance – to live here in this country and have a choice. I am personally glad that it happened. That Andrzej Duda won the elections only with a slight advantage, that Bronisław Komorowski lost by several percent in the election. Unless it turns out in a moment, after carefully counting the votes, that it doesn’t. Anything is possible in this country that I confess so because of my lack of trust in the election committees and the current government.
Poles finally decided that it was time for a change. Despite the great common fears caused by the battles won by the PIS in the field of politics, I have some inner feeling that there is some sign in it.
Yesterday was the feast of Pentecost in the Church. One of the most important for me. I was born around this holiday and the Spirit of God has always accompanied me in various life choices. Sometimes the choices and decisions we make bring unexpected results. Sometimes a choice made under the influence of inspiration is incomprehensible, and it can arouse opposition, rebellion and resistance in our environment. I remember how everyone rebelled when I went to study theology, not medicine, law or psychology as I was advised. I remember the shock of the people around me when I got married, or when my next children were born – fourth, fifth … Or when I gave up my promising position at work and returned to the theology in the first line of fire, i.e. to catechesis. Or when I took on functions seemingly having nothing to do with my education. The effect always exceeded my expectations, especially mine. God leads us along unexpected paths to one and always the same goal.
And yesterday, on the day dedicated to one of the most important events in the life of the nascent Church, Poles, despite indiscriminate strategies of mutual denigration and ridicule of “hostile” positions, elected a different president. Is that a coincidence?
My faith decided about my choice to put a cross on the electoral list. Maybe someone will find it naïve, but whatever – I’ll write it, let it be a testimony of my faith. Listening to the presidential candidates, I tried to find out what moral choices they would make when faced with the decision to pass certain state documents. Few have inspired my confidence in this regard. But in the end, I decided who I want to vote for. A few days before yesterday’s elections, I received a text message from a priest I knew. It was a request from one of the presidential candidates for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that he could serve God and Poland in accordance with His will. Not a word about winning or anything like that. To me, it sounded like a humble submission to God’s will in this election. I figured someone who asked for God’s support might be a good candidate for president. Perhaps he will not be guided by his own interests, the interests of the party, or other things unknown to me, but by conscience and discernment. So I offered yesterday’s Mass for a good choice for this man and for the Poles. God works better for people, better than election spots and set up embarrassing media debates.
The question still remains: what must be taken into account, being a Christian, a disciple of Christ, when voting for politicians? After these elections, I once again started a litany of questions about the proper behavior of a Christian in the face of political choices. What should I consider when choosing a given candidate? Can this choice be applied to the words of Jesus: “Give Caesar what is Caesar’s, and God what is God’s”?
Who does Poland belong to Poland? To Caesar or to God?
To politicians or to those who are not and never will be? Is Poland also my Poland, even though I am not involved in politics (I don’t understand it and that’s it, no talent)? Poland – what is this concept? Motherland, home country? Is this a concept contained only in patriotic songs, in poems read during school celebrations? What is this Poland, about which politicians are arguing so fiercely? And are they still arguing about Poland? What’s the point to argue about? Slogans: well, I am moving to the opposition, because I do not see the sense of action in you … – what does it even mean?
Does anyone still remember what a politician’s job is? The good of the country and its citizens? National power and glory? And do I, do you remember? Do you know what Poland is and why you live here? Or why not anymore?
Good questions for the first day after the election.
I can’t say I’m a fanatical PIS fan. From the time of the first brawl with the PO, both of them arouse sorrow and sadness in me. The slogans of the Civic Platform and the PIS of politics beyond divisions are, in their execution, an embarrassing attempt to deceive voters. Quarrels and quarrels initiated by the media, inciting one against the other … is this the correct strategy for people who openly admit to belonging to the Church? Mr. Andrzej Duda inspires my trust, despite belonging to a party that has failed my trust more than once. I believe something will change now. Probably unnecessarily, but I believe. We Christians should support those ruling in prayer. Regardless of ego parties to which they belong, these are our brothers and our sisters. They have a lot of trouble on their heads right now. Or another chance…
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