A fitting letter from one of my Alberta friends

This letter was posted by William Munsey, the Green Candidate in Wainwright-Vegreville. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Jim

Dear Green Supporters (and skeptics) and Wainwright-Vegreville Press,

Well, I am done campaigning.  I have visions of Leon Benoit scurrying
around the riding trying to pull in supporters... but I have farm work
today before I settle into my Thanksgiving dinner seat with my family
around me.  Tonight I have to work on the railway.  Monday, I have more
farm work and Tuesday I can vote and watch the numbers role in.

When I started this I have to admit that I had no real goals other than
to get the Green message out and prove that Greens are not whackos...
that most of us are just really plain folks concerned about the way we
neglect the environment.

Then a funny thing happened along the way.  I started to hear what I
was saying from somewhere outside myself.  I started to believe in a
deeper and more profound way what I was hearing... what I was saying. 
I watched people as I spoke and saw them nod and agree.  Sometimes when
I talked about a lack of time with family and friends and my sorrow at
losing something special in rural Alberta, I saw people's eyes mist up.

I could not believe they were moved by MY words.. by the things I worry
about.

That is what changed.  I opened up my heart to talk and people let me
in to their own hearts.  That sort of sharing of hopes and dreams and
fears is a very powerful thing and I have been overwhelmed by it. 
There is a great desire in this country to do things better, but many
people have shut off.  What I saw over the past month is that they
would open up if they had something to trust in and hope for.

I don't pretend that 'something' is me, or even the Green Party.  I
only know there is a huge wealth of goodness left in this country to
make it a better and more compassionate place for us to live in and
raise our families.  What we have to do is find a way to tap that
spirit and the ideas that will make that possible.

I did my best this last month.  I don't know that I could have done
much more.  It has been hard on my wife and it has broken my heart to
call my kids while driving back late at night from somewhere and hear
my youngest daughter crying on the phone because I was not there for
her.

I would not have done any of this if I did not think that in some way I
was doing it for my family.

Thank you all for your support, encouragement and help over this last
month.

Tuesday, we will let the chips fall.

Vote!  Our democracy is a gift to one another... something to be truly
thankful for.

I will no longer sign off with my Green Party title.  I am back to
being a father, farmer and railroader.

I will write again with my thoughts and impressions a couple of days
after the election

William Munsey
New Sarepta Gardens
(Greenhouse and Berries)
P.O. Box 339
New Sarepta, Alberta
T0B 3M0  CANADA