I woke up this Election Day with a feeling of hope, but I don’t trust that feeling completely. I felt hopeful four years ago, and the outcome plunged me into a despair that took a lot of time, tears, and searching to get through. I have been eager for this day ever since, hoping for a bit of relief from the lingering pain of that post-2016 process.
This year, we are in such a strange season apart from the election—full of anxiety and pain for so many—that surprisingly has brought to our family a sense of peace, closeness and gratitude. But outside the haven of my immediate family, I believe the election heightens the tension and a collective feeling of our precarity in our lives. I’m ready for election season to end, but I know there is a chance I will wake up tomorrow (or next week, or whenever) feeling that I’ve lost my country (again) and wish I could be transported to this moment of hope and uncertainty, daring to believe that we collectively will choose to correct course and restore my faith in this country and its people. I’m not sure this is our last chance, but I think it is our best.
Regardless of the outcome of this election, we have a lot of work to do to restore a sense of unity across this nation, across party lines. I want to be a part of that restoration.
Today, though—the TV is staying off, and my phone is not a constant companion, as I might have expected it would be when this day arrived. I am playing with my children, baking a cake, going for a run, and taking a walk with a friend I haven’t seen in too long. We will smile nervously under our masks and I suspect we might check incoming results and discuss how things are going. When evening comes, I think I will be ready to learn more about what the future might hold for the country. But today, I am going to enjoy the sunshine and pray for my country and for better days ahead.
Hope Runs On 