Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Socialists, are all labels we give ourselves and apply to others based on political leanings. They are just labels. They do not determine our character or morality.
I am an ardent believer in having lawful elections. Tuesday night in my state, the polls had closed only a minute or two and the election was called. I was stunned because the votes could not have been counted. Watching the election be called by the media today was tough, not because of who was called the victor; but because not all ballots have been counted. The process of lawful elections matters, even when it is inconvenient.
It was as if over night a decision was made to have all the media call the projected winner at almost exactly the same time (while the President was on the golf course) and change the news cycle, to begin the transition before a single state had certified the election.
Maybe the outcome will not change. What happens if it does?
There is a part of me that wants to rail and scream because of the media manipulations, the big tech controlling of free speech all of which played a role in this election cycle. There is a part of me that has serious concern about the forward marching of agendas that I believe undermine our democratic republic; and there is a part of me that just wants to see it all be over.
Watching all the celebrations in the streets I can’t help but wonder if there will be a spike in COVID cases and lockdowns mandated. I wonder if magically there will be no COVID spike even though thousands of people are shoulder to shoulder in the streets for hours on end.
I’m curious if the Massachusetts Governor will appoint Joe Kennedy to replace Elizabeth Warren if she gets a cabinet position. I wonder if Sen. Coons and Sen. Sanders will get a cabinet position. I worry about the price of oil skyrocketing. I wonder about the AOC and her Squad versus Speaker Pelosi battle that is sure to come. And I wonder who the Governor of California will appoint to replace Sen. Harris if she is indeed sworn in as Vice President.
In the next week or so, the newly elected will arrive in Washington and get new legislator training. The annual lottery for office space will take place and a majority of legislators’ offices will be moved between now and the start of the new Congress.
Whatever your feelings about the November 2020 elections; about what will happen in the legal challenges, please remember to be kind to one another. I feel like maybe at the start of each day everyone should watch a rerun of a Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood episode.
I do know I’m tried of people making negative comments about our President – like him or not, he is President; and has done a lot of good things. Two peace deals in the Middle East among them. I worry how the next administration will handle Iran. And now that it has been shown that GMO crops are losing their pesticide resistance (Thank you NPR for the story), I wonder how a return signing onto agreements that were pushing GMOs on the world will be affected.
But tonight, I’ll simply focus on trying to keep my own advice and be kind and civil!
In the words of the Dali Lama – “Be Kind Whenever Possible. It is Always Possible.”
In the words of Mother Theresa, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
And finally, in the words of Beth Clay, “Love in the most power energy on the planet, Kindness emanates from a place of love within; and Civility is always appropriate!”
My hope and prayer for the United States of America and all her people is that truth, justice and liberty will prevail; that we can remember kindness and civility along the way, even though it will be a challenge; and that whatever your belief system, you lean into it to see you through the coming weeks and months.
Always,
Beth