On Sunday, the minister at my church said she had a hard time figuring out where to start for her message that day because "there is so much to say, but it was hard to find words to put around it." Here we are a whole week later and I still feel much the same way. On my run this morning, my mind raced, jumping from anger to sadness and disappointment. As the dust has begun to settle this week, and the 'post mortum' is taking place, there is more blame and more anger. I think we are all still in a state of shock and I'm not sure when it will sink in, but the biggest thing this election has shown me is that we have work to do. We, the individuals that make up our always-has-been-great-nation have work to do with each other. More than anything, I think this election was a choice from the amygdala, the lizard part of our brain where the fight-or-flight response comes from. Things have gotten to the point where we have shut down so much that is the only part left working. This is serious, but it's not that anyone had a choice. The ugliness and hate, the fighting and mudslinging contained within this election cycle was a showcase of how far our breakdown as a nation has gotten. We are so divided we have resorted to hate and fear and bullying. If we want anything to change, we must stop the hate. The wonderful FLOTUS Michelle Obama did have wise words when she said 'When they go low, we go high." But even those words were taken and twisted and used to sling more ugliness around. What does that really mean, 'go high?" I am deeply saddened by this election and for what I see coming in our future. It makes me worry for my girls, my friends and my fellow Americans and I am prepared to resist, I am prepared to speak out and fight to make sure we don't undo all of the good that has happened here. But I am not going to raise my fist either in anger against or in solidarity with anyone. I am going to fight with love and understanding. The way we can take back our country, help heal the divides I see among neighbors and friends is through love and understanding. Isn't there a song somewhere that says "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me?" That is my plan. I am lucky to live in a mixed town. I say mixed because I know that I have friends that have far different political leanings than I do. I know who they are and how they voted and that is great because I also know that they are wonderful women with strong families and some of my favorite children. I am going to have coffee with them and ask, specifically, why they voted the way they did and what they'd like to see in our future. I want to know what they see that I don't and I will listen. As President Obama has said, 'we are all on the same team', so let's all start playing together. It isn't us vs. them, so let's figure out a way to be together. I know it's cliche, but we are more alike than we are different and we need to start shifting the focus in that direction instead of promoting the fight. Congress worked tirelessly for eight long years to prevent anything the President wanted to do and we must stop following that horrendous lead. If Trump could really figure out a way to impose term limits on Congress, I'd support it! If he can figure out a way to make health care better, bring it on! I know there is fear on that horizon and I understand the implications of who he is appointing and what may be in store for us all. But, what if we provided momentum for getting something done? What if we could all agree on one thing and we worked together to make it happen? Maybe then could we find some common ground on other things and help shift the focus from the fight?
Gandhi said, "In a gentle way, you can shake the world." I am going to reach out and talk and listen with a truly open mind and just maybe I can change my street and then my world.
Are you with me?
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