Regardless if your candidate won or lost.
Believe me, this wasn't the outcome I expected or the one I'd hoped for. And, even though I'm a lifelong Democrat, the Dem candidate was, in all honesty, my third choice. But I voted for her because I believed she offered the best chance to do the best for ALL of us.
So much of our future is up in the air, as it would be had she won. I'm not sure any of us knows with any certainty what to expect from the next four years. I admit, I was encouraged by the remarks I heard and the humility I saw in last night's speech by the President-elect. Perhaps he truly recognizes that he does, in fact, represent all of America and not just the lunatic fringe that embraced him.
And before you get your undies in a bunch, I'm not calling all of you that voted for him crazy. Only the KKK and American Nazi party members.
You may know who you are, I don't think I want to.
To my liberal family and friends, I'd like to go baseball with you. As was reported often during this World Series winning season, Joe Maddon gave this team thirty minutes to celebrate a win or fume over a loss. After that, it was time to move on. As the family youths have taken part in sports over the years, I've tried to send a similar message, most recently to the Heir to the Throne. When he has a bad at-bat; fooled by a pitch, "victimized" by an umpire's strike zone, robbed of a hit by a fielder, whatever, I told him to learn from it. Don't dwell on it, rather he should prepare himself for his next at-bat so he doesn't repeat the "mistake" and move on.
So I now say the same thing to you, my Dem friend. Examine what could be done differently. By you. I've spent the last few years worth of union meetings urging my younger coworkers to get politically active. I have the same message for you. Are you unhappy with the results from last night? Don't expect someone else to do the heavy lifting for you. Get up, go out, and do something about it. Contact the local office of the political party of your choice and ask how you can help affect the future. Democracy is not a spectator sport and if you don't like the outcome, but did nothing (or not enough) to make change, fix that.
To my conservative friends and family, I'm glad none of you made a wager with me over the outcome last night, I would owe you a large sum of money today. Congratulations on your "win" but please, remember, there isn't a "Red" America and a "Blue" America.
There is only an America.
An America built by immigrants. By natural born citizens. By men and women. By all races, creeds, colors, religions, sexual orientations. You name it. Some segment of that population has contributed to the America we celebrate (or should) today. It's not perfect.
But it never has been.
And it never will be.
As I try and bring this to a close I've got a really cheesy metaphor for you...
Be like a dandelion and Let. It. Go.
Let go of the anger, let go of the resentment, let go of the frustration, but most of all, let go of the fear. Fear leads us to terrible places. It does none of us any good. Focus on the things that unite us rather than those that divide us.
And work to change the things you can.
Peace
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