The Explanation for My Absence

Remember back when I wrote about the spouses association, MBASA? Well, I had a rough go of it at first. My fear of the organization grew once I started attending meetings. So many well dressed, completely done-up, blinged-out women left me feeling out of place.

And then I found the Book Club. And then the Writer's Group.

They are my people. They feed my soul.

My experience has been much better since I stopped letting the fancy girls scare me. I discovered over the last semester that there were many other women that felt like I did. An idea came to me that I couldn't shake, "What if I ran for President for next year and worked to bring these women together, fancy and normal alike?"

A week ago Thursday I submitted my official letter-of-intent to run for office. I campaigned all week long. That meant going door to door and meeting people. There was one other girl running for President and I saw her out doing the same thing I was last Saturday morning. I noticed that she was leaving handouts at the doors where no one was home. I made the choice to only leave something if I talked to them; nothing would be left at an unopened door. My purpose in knocking doors was to get to know people, and a paper stuffed in a door handle wouldn't accomplish that.

Wednesday was speech night. I struggled all week with what I should say. I knew what my goals as President would be, but I couldn't settle on the right way to say them. Wednesday morning and afternoon I talked with two different women that had had a horrible year with MBASA. Their experiences had mirrored my own before I found the Book Lovers. Inspiration struck. Here's the speech I gave, minus the joke I started with that died on the floor.

I’m going to tell you about MBASA. It’s a fantastic group of intelligent and talented people that are willing to teach each other and learn from each other. You are an amazing support system. I’ve seen how quickly you guys jump to answer pleas for help on the Google group.

But there are two MBASAs. In the second MBASA the members come to the same inspiring activities, and when the meeting is over they turn to those near them to talk. And everyone else has already started talking to other people. The members of this MBASA go home wishing they hadn’t come at all.

I know this second MBASA exists because you've told me. I know it exists because I've experienced both versions. 

We need to have only one MBASA. 

The poet Edwin Markham perfectly explained my feelings when he wrote:
He drew a circle that shut me out
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
But love and I had wit to win
We drew a circle that took him in 

I want to draw a circle that includes every member of MBASA. It sounds like I’m saying I want world peace. It’s one of those lofty, unattainable goals, right? 

Here’s how we're going do it. 

I will draw a circle around everyone by personally getting to know each of you.  Over the last week I’ve spent time in your homes and your doorways, talking. I’ve loved campaigning because I’ve gotten to know you so much better. And by getting to know you, we'll learn what your real needs are and we'll build our activities around those.  

I will do it by redefining and reorganizing the committees and making sure that the goals of the committees are in line with the goals of our members. Your goals. 

I will draw a circle by taking the existing MBASA Alumni Facebook page and turning it into a real network. Our spouses have an Alumni network to find jobs. We should have one in place too so that when we go to those jobs, there are already people excited to know us and help us.

But I can't do it alone.

Help me draw that circle. Tomorrow when the email is sent, open up the link, and vote Margot for President. 

Thank you.

Several people told me afterward that they agreed with what I had said and they were glad to know they weren't the only one that felt that way. I was the only one who didn't stand at the podium in the corner and read my speech. I delivered mine from the middle of the room, not looking at my paper but rather into the eyes of the women who came to listen.

The voting took place via electronic survey yesterday and the results came in today.

I lost.

It's been a day of shifting emotions. I did this whole crazy running for President thing in large part because that's what the Holy Ghost kept pushing me to do. I met and got to know so many people and I loved it. I wonder if the people I met that felt shut out of MBASA are the reason I was supposed to run. I still have an opportunity to serve in some capacity, if the new Presidency will let me, so maybe I'll still have the chance to accomplish some of those goals.

Now I guess I'll go back to my normal, non-campaigning life. Hey, maybe next week I'll even blog...