Glued to the election coverage, I couldn’t help thinking that each time my hopes were rising, someone else’s were falling, and each time mine were falling, theirs was rising. And back and forth it went for all of us.
If you are mourning the election results, allow yourself space and time to grieve well. Don’t judge yourself on how you need to grieve—be in the moment, feel the pain, and practice accepting the reality of what has transpired.
If you are rejoicing in the results, enjoy and celebrate! But avoid gloating or being unkind to those who are hurting— remember how you felt in 2016?
The big question is how do we move forward? How do we come together when we’ve been so far apart
The only thing any of us can do is to see “the other” as a fellow human being created in God’s image. Each interaction and every face-to-face encounter is an encounter with the divine, a sacred space of connection. Feel too big? Too hard? Try this:
- Practice being fully PRESENT to those you are with. Bring your thoughts back to the person you are with when your mind veers off into the political.
- Practice being LOVING: Listen wholeheartedly with empathy; don’t judge their ideas and intentions. Notice how often your mind begins to form mental rebuttals and bring yourself back to the person.
- Practice being OPEN. Be curious. Our country is a mosaic of different cultures, ideas, perspectives, and values. As Americans, it is who we are. Seek to share and receive ideas respectfully while choosing to sit with the discomfort of differences.
This isn’t easy—at all. Building these kinds of muscles requires steady practice. But start small. One person. One conversation with openness and kindness. And perhaps we can slowly begin to bridge this divide. Love and hugs to you all.