I loved caucusing this morning. There's something so old fashioned, down home, and real about walking to the local elementary school with your neighbors to decide together who our next president is going to be.

I don't know if we really did know our neighbors back when this system was born, but I only knew ten out of the 90 people who showed up for our precinct. I actually felt that was a pretty good amount for a modern city gal, but I worried that we were going to be forced to have intense discussions with people we didn't know. Like maybe the system doesn't make sense for the modern era.

But no one ranted at me or shoved me around. The clarity and civility were, in fact, delightful. Our precinct went outside in the sunshine where we could actually hear each other. The people who spoke made reasoned respectful arguments why they preferred one candidate or another.

As I had eight years ago, I left feeling exhilarated about the democratic process, that I have a vote, that my vote makes a difference, and that we can talk about our differences respectfully. Of course, I understand that the differences between the Bernie camp and the Hilary camp are microscopic compared to the differences between us and the Republicans, but it was a heartening political moment all the same.