Debate, Local politics | Everyone should try to be elected once

Early today As usual, I cycle to work in Sarpsborg. I think that this is one of my contributions to improving public health and reducing the load on the roads.

As I cycle through Fredrikstadmarka, I think about how important it is to take care of green lungs so that people and animals have good living conditions. I cycle over a large field, thinking about our food soil and how threatened our already low degree of self-sufficiency is.

There is a transformer there and I think that we need to get more power supply so that our wonderful companies on Øra can change to become emission-free.

I cycle on over the Rolvsøysund bridge, thinking about the necessary railway development and at Nes Andelsgård, which is around the corner, thinking that they really take this self-sufficiency thing seriously.

I ride on to Greåkerveien, see the toll station that I don’t have to pay for because I cycle, think how important it is to continue to develop good and safe cycle paths, think further that a municipal merger with Sarpsborg is completely out of the question, but cooperation is good, I then cycle past the Musikkhuset on Greåker, thinking about volunteering, about corps, culture, sports and everyone who contributes to our society being the great community it is.

Then I cycle into the center of Sarpsborg, this time I’m going to a business meeting at the town hall, so I pass Sandesundveien primary school and think about how much I value all the adults who work around our children every day in school, kindergarten and after-school care, and I think extra for children who need special follow-up.

Soon I will see the library, which rises new and beautiful and will be a magnificent low-threshold and expression-promoting cultural offer when it is finished.

Into the town hall and the town council hall, I state that Fredrikstad’s town council hall is much nicer than Sarpsborg’s (sorry!), so from there I think about the prison in the Old Town and how important a gem the Old Town is for destination work, storytelling, identity and city pride.

Afterwards shall I cycle home.

I wave goodbye to Sarpsborg and am once again happy that the cities are two cities that are great in their own way. I probably choose to cycle the Glommastien, through Haugegropa, thinking of all the local community committees and people like Kjell and Ulf in Hauge LSU who ensure that areas like this are developed only through zeal and hard work.

We have to take care all the small and unique green areas along Glomma, I think further, see the elderly couple who are out walking on the path I cycle on, see them enjoying themselves in the spring sun, see them taking care of their health, and I think that there is something of the most important thing we can do is to work on health prevention. It can start on a bicycle.

Then I want to approach the ferry, and I am so proud and happy that we have a free ferry in Fredrikstad that connects our city together on the water.

All this I think about while I’m cycling, because I know that my elected perspective gives me a big overview of everything that happens around us in society, things I never thought about before. You become happy in your city in a completely different and special way.

I think of the town hall again. I think of the first time I walked in there. I was knocked back with reverence. Humility. Over being allowed to take such an active part in our democracy. It means something.

I think that as an elected official, I become – and you won’t believe it – less polarized in my mindset.

Because I get to know so many people with so many different opinions and points of view. Fantastic people, regardless of party colour, who use their spare time to promote democracy and politics which they believe is in the best interests of Fredrikstad.

So I’ll say it again: Everyone should try to be elected once.

The text was first published on Silje Waters’ Facebook page and is reproduced with permission.