Let’s remember President Kennedy’s words “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!” There is no better time than now to remember these words.
The next president has an amazingly difficult job. Whether that was going to be Clinton or Trump, they are in a way set up for failure. The expectations and the discontent of the country are painfully high. We feel that we have a divided country, much due to campaign strategies of the two party and journalism that are guided by money and sensationalism. The
long election season and the news have left
us with categories and judgments.
But is that true? We have to remember that an individual is not a label! What can YOU do for your country? Don’t judge, reach out to your neighbor! Come from love and curiosity. I have friends who have voted for Trump, Johnson, and Clinton, I listen and try to understand why. Social Media has reduced our communication to short sentences. There is no understanding when we throw labels at each other! Yes, there are those in this country, just like in every country, who are xenophobic, racist, sexist and so forth, but to reduce a Trump win to making half the country into evil is not correct and not productive. We need to understand each other! We need to reach out and talk to each other!
If your team has won, celebrate with grace. If your team has lost, feel the pain, take a breath and then reflect. GOING NEGATIVE IS A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY. We all have work to do; we need to unite the country. Hate is the last thing we need. Somehow Trump appealed to folks who are feeling let down by the system or disagree with the system. We all have work to do; what will you do for this country? For democracy to work, we all need to work together, discuss issues in a more meaningful way. Build relationships across the divide. If this election cycle has taught me anything, it taught me the danger of short emotional messages. It taught me to rise above my initial emotions and investigate issues further! So what will you do for your country? Respect your neighbor! Talk to people that you don’t understand or even better, talk to folks you disagree with, see if you can develop a conversation. Don’t just demand a more intelligent government, a more peaceful government, a government with the smart discussions; it is never enough to demand. The United States is not a great country because we have great presidents! The United States is a great country because the people work to make it better. DON’T GO LOW, THIS IS THE TIME TO GO HIGH! Go high, live love, live peace, reach out! There is so much love in the world unless you choose to see otherwise… THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE US DIVIDED ARE THE ONES SEEKING POWER, DON’T GIVE THEM THAT POWER! If you want to live in a democracy, don’t give your power away, and by power, I mean the power of love and gratitude. Hate feeds hate; fear feeds hate; fear feeds power. Do you want to live in a better world? Remember to love, stand up for what you believe in, but don’t just preach, listen to others as well. And if none of this helps your heart, well, just remember the presidency is only four years, they campaign half that time and get nothing done, and what they get done the next president turns around. So take a breath and love your neighbor, do something for your country so we can heal the divide. Presidents never healed the divide in this country, the people did… Today, do something for your country…