My Day In Court

Jury Duty! Great, just what I wanted to do on a Thursday in September. I called my manager and said, "I am so sorry but I have to report to jury duty in the morning so I won't be in. That project I am working on will just have to wait."

I was not happy in the least. I was annoyed that this was interrupting my week. Maybe they will ask me something that will be objectionable and dismiss me in a moment, let's hope so. Oh, brother, I need to empty my purse because for sure they will be doing their security checks, poking into my bag, just being nosey.

All these things were going through my mind the night before and the morning of my day in court. I sat with about 20 others who were just as annoyed and some even more so that they were also being obliged to do their "civic duty". We sat in the court room, had the bailiffs explain the process to us, listened to the judge while he told us what was expected of us, were questioned by the attorneys from both sides and they were getting a little too personal at times, were excused out of the room and brought back in three different times...............was a big PAIN in the NECK! Then finally the names of eight people were read that would make up the jury for this case.................which wasn't a murder case, or anything gang related, just evading an officer in a traffic violation which really was a felony............no big deal! My name wasn't called. I was to be excused after 4 hours of this......HURRAY!

But not until District Court Judge West said these words. "Before you go I want to say that I didn't see one hand raise when you were asked if you were excited to be here today. I know some of you felt it a bother to come, you had to rearrange your day and that causes us stress but I want you to remember something as you leave today, that this is a land of freedom and civil liberties that few in the world have as we do. And all those fellow citizens that are in Afghanistan and Iraq right now are fighting for your freedom to be a part of this governing process. The freedom we have to elect one another to office, the process that you are a part of today, is because you are an AMERICAN. So think of this today as you rush back to the lives you were pulled away from for a brief period to exercise a freedom that isn't free at all."

What can I say now, but I came out of that building feeling so ashamed of myself.

I immediately thought of Justin being so far away from his family and me being so selfish in my attitude. Here I am comfy and cozy in my home - there he is serving me and you to keep those freedoms that sometimes "annoy" us. I wished so hard at that single moment that I would have been selected. I cannot wait until I get another notice and I can serve - I WILL DO IT SO PROUDLY! Thank you Judge West for that lesson. Thank you Justin for serving. Thank you Susie for your sacrifice. Thank you God for this country. Thank you Lord for this Gospel!