Tomorrow.

Less than a day before I get to vote for the first time in real elections. One that I chose to participate in and that I've dreamed about for such a long time. In general the process of elections itself looked silly for me when I watched it happening in democratic countries through TV. I thought that these people standing in lines were partisans who just wanted their people to win while those who chose not to vote seemed more independent to me! This is despite that I've always believed in democracy. I guess it has something to do with one's ego and false sense of superiority. You know, feeling that you're above the masses of dull partisan people who vote and kill themselves defending a party or a person without really knowing most of the times what are they voting for.Such kind of voting happens everywhere and it's going to happen in Iraq as well. I've heard many people saying they'll vote for this person or that party just because they like this person or someone on that party. It's like cheering for a certain football team just because you like one player in that team. And while cheering in sports is usually harmless, it can lead to serious consequences in politics.Still and with all this skepticism, I'm going to vote and I don't care if it means risking my life and I don't even care that much how the end results are going to be, not now! The reason that is pushing a cynic with a strong sense of individuality like me to join the "dull masses'' and to stop being the "black sheep" for a moment is not so hard to understand.All my life like all Iraqis, I was not in control of my life. I started looking to myself as a humanist many years ago. Maybe it's because I lost belief in my government and even sometimes in my country and my people. My country was just a stupid large piece of dirt that meant nothing and offered nothing to me but suffering and humiliation. I decided many times to leave my country although it was risky as doctors were not allowed to travel outside Iraq except for minor exceptions. I decided to search for a better living outside that hell of a country and away from any tyranny and on one occasion I even got a faked passport and was about to leave when I changed my mind at the last moment. I asked myself how could I call myself a humanist when I run away from my responsibilities towards my fellow humans (not Iraqis) when things get tough. And if I run away and all those who care and who long for a change do the same, who's going to stay and at least try to make the change. I saw that I was being a hypocrite by trying to leave Iraq. I decided that this piece of dirt is my home not because I was born in it but because I can be more useful to humanity here.Now, and thanks to other humans, not from my area, religion and who don't even speak my language, I and all Iraqis have the real chance to make the change. Now I OWN my home and I can decide who's going to run things in it and how and I won't waste that chance. Tomorrow as I cast my vote, I'll regain my home. I'll regain my humanity and my dignity, as I stand and fulfill part of my responsibilities to this part of the large brotherhood of humanity. Tomorrow I'll say I'M IRAQI AND I'M PROUD, as being Iraqi this time bears a different meaning in my mind. It's being an active and good part of humanity. Tomorrow I and the Iraqis that are going to vote will rule, not the politicians we're going to vote for, as it's our decision and they'll work for us this time and if we don't like them we'll kick them out! Tomorrow my heart will race my hand to the box. Tomorrow I'll race even the sun to the voting centre, my Ka'aba and my Mecca. I'm so excited and so happy that I can't even feel the fear I though I would have at this time.I can't wait until tomorrow.