There’s no song of the day today, no cute video to make you laugh…because today is the day after an election that brought us backward in time. An election that told women our rights don’t matter. An election that told people of color and the LGBTQ community their rights don’t matter. An election that brought us back the worst president in history and everyone that comes along with him. I honestly don’t even know what to say. I wanted to believe America was better than this, that people really did want change, but I guess that was a foolish pipe dream. Sure, there are people who want change, and do want to move forward, but there just don’t seem to be enough of us. The House hasn’t been called yet, but the damage is done. Thank you, Black men and women. You had more courage than the rest of us by far. I’m sorry we didn’t do our part.
So, where to go from here?
A line from a song in Frozen 2 has been running through my head since last night: “Do the next right thing.” So what does that look like? Here are a few things I’ve been thinking about…
Acknowledge and feel whatever you’re feeling. It’s okay to cry, to scream, to be silent, and to take the time you need to process all of this.
Breathe. And keep breathing and taking care of your physical and mental health.
Find the hope. In Colorado I find hope that we voted to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution, and that the part of the constitution banning same-sex marriage will be removed. I know similar things happened in other states. If you can, find one thing from this election that brings you hope.
Take one step forward every day. Go to work, to school, out to eat, to a movie, to church, to a show, to visit friends and family…just take that first step and keep moving forward, even if the pace is slow.
Get involved in local, state and federal elections from now until forever. That might mean actually running yourself, maybe writing some postcards, volunteering for a campaign, going to city council meetings…anything that will help get better candidates elected and better laws passed.
Pay attention. What’s about to happen over the next few years is going to be difficult. We’ve seen the blueprint, and we know it’s awful. Write to your representatives and senators, speak up, and make sure you protect yourself when necessary.
Take breaks from media. The 24/7 news cycle, coupled with social media, is exhausting and overwhelming. And it’s going to be even more heightened in the coming weeks. Take regular breaks and focus on something else - watch a show, a game, or a movie; read a book; take a walk; frolic in the snow - whatever works for you. Just don’t stay glued to the media 24/7. It’s not healthy.
Pray. For those who believe in the power of prayer, I highly encourage you to pray daily for our country. The only reason I’m not a sobbing mess right now is that I know God still sits on the throne, and He knows exactly what He’s doing. Granted, I’d like a little more insight on the plan, but I have to believe this is all happening for a reason. Still, that doesn’t mean I’m happy about what happened. I’m ill. And so I will pray.
I was watching TV and monitoring the results on my phone last night, and as the results become more real, I decided that building something was better than focusing on the feeling that our country seems to be crumbling around us. So, I started building a LEGO set I recently purchased. It’s about half done, and I’ll finish it today, but it helped. If you like LEGO or puzzles or painting or something else that can occupy your time…those are great distractions and help refocus your mind, if only for a short time.
Okay, I lied. I’m leaving you with this video because it continues to be relevant. Look for the helpers, and try to be one whenever you can.
Knowing who's in control always gives reassurance. This is God's deal and He will.
Great advice. Thank you.