A House Politically Divided - Learning to Live Peacefully

For those who may not know, I live in a divided house. It is not divided because I am the only one with testosterone within yelling distance either. The main reason is because my wife is a Democrat and I am a Republican. This fact did not come into focus until this past year’s Presidential election. You see my wife and I are newly married, about two years and this subject hasn’t raised its ugly head until now. Sure, we have had the odd senatorial race, or some local propositions, even a city council election or two, but nothing that would have caused either of us to question the other partner’s sanity.

We met online and I don’t remember if Match.com had a profile section concerning political affiliation. Was there a place to check off donkey or an elephant? Should I have been more explicit in my profile and added Bush lover? Probably would not have been a good idea anyways. The real crux of the matter here is why am I just now finding out about my wife’s political preferences. How did I go through our dating, courtship and wedding without knowing this? Was I blinded by her beauty and charm?

How could we have had all those long walks and talks about life and love. About how we raise our children, schoolwork, discipline, money, housework and the usual domestic items. Yet I missed her political leanings. Did I know deep down in my being and just subconsciously pushed it down and ignored it?

Someone told me recently that it does not matter; our votes will cancel each other out. That maybe true, but this goes much further than that. It’s not that we have a responsibility to our respective parties to vote. In addition, it’s not that we have this great opportunity to harass each other’s candidates, which we do relentlessly. It is just that I did not realize the love of my life, voted for the other side.

What I do know is that we are having great fun at my house. Elections now have brought out the feisty side in both of us. We goad and poke each other when our candidates pull a major blunder. We both do a running commentary during the conventions that is far more entertaining than what is happening up on the podium most nights.

Therefore, no matter who wins the upcoming elections, we are going to remember them fondly. Because I believe that, a house divided is a house having fun (at least at my house).