The events of the election made many happy and also many unhappy. Speaking specifically to those who are unhappy - I'm familiar with receiving unhappy news - it might be a natural inclination at first to deny it. But that ultimately won't change anything. That's just crossing your arms and pouting like Violet Beauregard. I wasn't a huge fan of Violet in the original Willy Wonka so I didn't really mind her turning violet - it's hard to sympathize with a pouter. Life doesn't always work out your way.
I think that in order to help understand the variation in our country, and in the world, it's necessary to realize that we probably create a bubble of sameness for ourselves. We criticize the "opposition" as some generalized scapegoat to others who think the same things as us. We preach to the choir about "them" being all one thing, all the same. Look at your feeds on Facebook or Twitter. Do they reflect a diversity of thought or have you expelled any questioning?
I live on the coast and don't confront issues similar to the middle of the country (like snow or ice or mosquitos ha, or rain or distinct seasons boo). If I hope to understand them and their lives then I must be open to hearing their thoughts. Only by exposing myself to those mindsets can I hope to begin to understand them. And maybe, by engaging them instead of silencing them, I can hope to shed some light on where I'm coming from too - because we're obviously quite far apart! (Notice how I wrote "apart" instead of "a" space "part" to signify a separation rather than a belonging. The latter happens a lot on social media, creates confusion, and demonstrates a lack of concern and also a lack of attention - thus undermining the importance.) By engaging we're afforded the opportunity to play the ambassador of the ideas we hold. If challenged to articluate a defense then we must examine our own reasoning too.
If losing puts you at a loss, you may well wonder
what to do now?
What to do now?
I don't know, does that help somehow?
Read a book.
Sing a song.
Take a picture.
Write a blog.
Do whatever you would normally do.
Just a little more
and a little better.
If the world feels to have conspired against you
rage hard, rage back.
Answer the world with you.
You be you and
I'll be me,
and together we'll be we.
Free to be who we are
inspite of the craziness.
It's the simple answer
to this fantastic, tremendous mess.
You being you
is already all up to you.
But because of this very fantastic, very tremendous mess,
you mean even more.
You being you is essential to do,
and being you rages back
against any lack,
against any sameness or attempted conformity.
Against this really fantastic, really tremendous mess.
You being you combats the idolatry of he.
So you should inject a bit more in your you
in the face of this fantastic tremendous mess.
And hopefully the you and the me will eventually meld into a we.
In any case, you'll be someone we need desperately.
And just as importantly,
what not to do.
Don't quit.
Be true to being you.
But have a little awareness too
that you aren't everything.
You don't know everything
just like those in charge don't either.
We have to work with people with whom we disagree.
We might have to coax others to accomplish anything.
Don't push them away,
show them the right way,
by living how you want the world to be.
Losing still provides an opportunity.
Changing anything is always slow
but it provides the opportunity to show
and hopefully a chance to lead by example
and ultimately a chance to grow.
The sadness and despair of everything
might end up a good thing,
might end up a motivation,
might end up ultimately a catalyst,
for a stronger, a more informed, a better you.
You be you and I'll be me.
Together, you and me, and many others make we.
And together, we can!