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Election Day will be here soon enough, and we all need to exercise our right to vote. Remind others and encourage them to vote as well. Keep in mind that we are fortunate enough to live in a country where we pick who represents us.

Voting is a basic right and our way to raise our voice and be a part of how our world runs.

Remember if you don’t vote you don’t get to complain after the fact about anything to do with taxes, the way things are or are not because you didn’t care enough to vote.

Sure, you can say “My vote doesn’t make any difference” but it does!! We all have seen those close election results. That great new candidate who ‘only’ lost by 3 votes. Someone else winning be a handful of votes. These are the perfect examples of your vote does make a difference.

We all need to find out who’s running this November and what those candidates stand for. If we agree with them or not. For those that are in office – do we think they are doing a good job? Do they listen? Do they represent what we want or are they always voting the party line? Should they get re-elected? Or is time for someone new?

And the candidates need to pay attention to us! Because the older population are the most likely to vote! We know what works and what doesn’t work. We have lived the social issues. We have seen the politics involved – both good and bad! And over 70% of us vote!!

Yes, out of every 10 people 65+, 7 of them will be voting in November.

Think about that… This age group can influence all policy. If taxes go up or down or stay the same? Does that referendum pass or does it fail? Does the new candidate win? Does the incumbent get re-elect?

Again, think about it! Your vote can be the very vote that drives change! Mark your calendar so you don’t forget. Call for a ride if you need one. But be sure to vote because elections are decided by those who show up!! Not those who stay home!!

As Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world!!”

We believe in what we do. We all have thought something like this in the past. We have all been very convinced on one issue or another. We then surround ourselves with likeminded people.

Together our voice grows stronger. Ideas flourish. Paths and networks expand. We can do all of this in a very serious way, over very serious issues but we can also do this with laughter and create a better world in a good way.

Laughing is a very healthy thing to do. Laughter is actually a physical reaction consisting usually of rhythmical, often contractions of the diaphragm and other parts of the respiratory system. It is a response to certain external or internal stimuli according to Wikipedia.

Did you know there is even a National Let’s Laugh Day? It’s March 19^th and we can laugh about the fact that I missed it by a few months!

Life can be hard. Things happen to us and around us that we don’t understand. We can hit low spots. But we need to move forward. We need to look for what makes us smile. It could be a puppy, a baby, a joke, or a movie. But once we can smile it’s easier to laugh. So go watch a funny movie!

When you laugh it lowers your stress hormone. You can burn up to 40 calories with a good 15-minute belly laugh. Your abs get a workout.  Laughing can be better for you than a cup of coffee. One minute of laughter boosts your immune system for 24 hours. 15 minutes of laughing equals the benefits of 2 hours of sleep. So, here’s a question – if I’m awake during the night for a few hours I only need to laugh about it and I’m good???

The average man smiles an average of 8 times a day. The average woman smiles 62 times a day. Babies smile an average of 200 times a day. So, now lets all be babies!!! At least for part of the day.

I once attend a laughter yoga class and they tell you “Fake it till you make it!” If you force yourself to laugh and to keep laughing before you know it the laugh becomes real, and it feels good. Try it and you’ll have a better day!!

Why do giraffes have long necks?

Because they have smelly feet.

What goes tick-tock and woof-woof?

A watchdog

What are the two things you can’t have for breakfast?

Lunch and dinner

Why is a bad joke like a pencil?

Because it has no point

Why isn’t there a clock in the library?

Because it tocks too much

Did I make you giggle, chuckle, belly laugh????

I hope so. Have a better day!

The Commission meets at the Senior Center on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 1:30 pm. Meetings are currently hybrid.  The public is welcome to join by clicking on the link on the Ledyard Senior Center agenda, which can be found on the Town’s website.