It will be easy today to get grumpy. Long lines half-filled with people you don’t agree with. Wall-to-wall TV coverage of political commentary and then election results. Ads everywhere. EVERYWHERE. All designed to divide us rather than unite us.
But there is no rule that says we need to follow their lead. We can do this thing with love, get through this day with grace.
Tomorrow, half of us will be overjoyed…but half of us will have hurting hearts. There will be lots of people walking wounded, including people we care about every other day of the year, regardless of how they vote.
This morning, when I reminded nine-year-old Ryder that it’s Election Day, he said people who vote for the other guy “suck.” I sat down and told him that’s not true or okay to say – even if he hears adults acting like it is. We’re all lucky, I told him, that we each get to make up our own mind and vote for the person we believe in most. As Americans, we value the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, even if it’s not the same as ours.
I reminded him that not everyone he loves will vote for the guy he wants – and that he’d be hurt if they told him he “sucked” for his opinion.
We all have a choice today. Not only in who we vote for, but in how we handle ourselves. We may vote for different people, but we can all choose love today.
Hey, you know what I think would be awesome? If we all could share moments we witnessed LOVE in action today. If you see an act of kindness {or create one!}, signs of respect, goodness in your midst – share it in the comments. Let’s prove love wins, no matter what.
