I have a lot of thoughts, today.  It’s the second day after the 2024 presidential election.  Candidly, it hasn’t been easy sorting them out.  I’m conflicted.  Do I acknowledge exactly how I feel, or do I keep telling myself how I should react?  I’m going to get right to the point:  I’m sad.  Damn sad.  I’m feeling a profound uncertainty about the direction of our future.  You see, we’ve been through this before.  Our 45^th president will now be our 47^th.  Eight years ago, we began four years of, what to call it, bizarre leadership?  As I’ve said, in a previous post, our country often has history amnesia.  Some might call it selective memory.  So, I’m trying to understand what happened for half this country to embrace leadership who reveres the world’s dictators more than those who live in this country, work hard, and respect and protect the principles on which this nation was conceived. 

Whether or not their reasoning makes sense to many of us who recall a different place and time, we are faced with enduring the consequences.  We have no choice – for now.  We may be hobbling around like little birds with broken wings, but it won’t hamper our ability to fly.  Yesterday we were exhausted.  Literally.  It was a long, emotional night for many of us.  Jubilant for others.  It’s complicated.

You might say, what makes this so complicated?  One candidate won and one candidate lost.  It’s more than that.

For me, it’s a matter of trust.  Can we trust this leadership to take care of us?  Can we trust leadership whose rhetoric is alternately vicious and venomous, whose global threats loom large?  Can we trust someone with this character to honor the sanctity and safety of our nation’s intelligence?  Can we trust our new Congress to, first and foremost, serve the American citizen, or will they act as instruments for the new president’s agenda?

What concerns me is how many people are not understanding the implications of this election.  We have a lot of work to do.

This morning, I woke up after a night’s rest in the same bed, in the same country where I grew up – where I felt safe and protected, where opportunity existed with hard work, where we took care of each other. Yesterday, we couldn’t muster the energy to do more than grieve for what we thought we’ve lost.  Today, we are ready to continue standing for what’s right and not hesitate opposing what’s wrong.  Make no mistake, we still have the power to fight for truth.

While running through an airport I picked up a book called “The Wisdom of the Native Americans” compiled by Kent Nerburn.  It is a thought-provoking compilation of spiritual and philosophical oratory by some of our Native American leaders.  I would highly recommend having this on your bookshelf, at the ready, especially at times like this.  So, I leave this post with a quote by Chief Joseph (Nez Perce Tribe):

“It does not require many words to speak the truth.”  

For now, let’s get out of the noise and sit in silence, for in silence is when we hear truth.  The answers will come.

Just my thoughts…

If interested, “The Wisdom of the Native Americans” by Kent Nerburn is available on Amazon.   You might also check out Good Reads online or your local public library.

As one who promotes the joy of reading in any form, I am happy to share where you might find books referenced in this blog.  I generate no revenue for myself from Amazon or any other venues suggested.