Monday, September 26, 2011
12:42 PM
A couple weeks ago, I received a jury duty notice for one week prior to our annual convention. It is a busy time for our office, yet I didn't have a "real reason" to get out of jury duty. I had the notice on my desk, and I was wishing I didn't have to go. I talked to several people who had served over the years, most of whom shared negative experiences between parking, waiting, time frame etc. Yet, it wasn't as bad as I thought. A judge came into the jury assembly room and swore us all in and together we said the pledge of allegiance. That was cool! Yes, there was a lot of waiting and a lot of directions. The clerk of the court was positive and had a great sense of humor, so that helped. Yet, the judge said something that resonated with me. He said, "serving as a juror is an important part of being a US citizen and our government system." He is right. In the scope of life, serving on jury duty is a small sacrifice for all the freedom and liberty we are blessed to have every day. It is our freedom that allows us to be busy with life and to have the choices we have every day.
As I thought about trying to get out of my service, I realized there really will never be a good time to serve. I will always have something else to do and somewhere else to go other than jury duty. So I went and I am glad I did. It's hard with a busy life to realize that it truly is an honor and an important responsibility as a US citizen to serve. It's a small sacrifice for a lifetime of freedom. So be positive, be patient, be proud!