Did you survive?
Are you breathing again?
This election season seems to have been so much more frenetic than any other time I have experienced. And it makes me curious.
If you have ever read my blog before you might know I am not one to spin the wheel of blame. I am all about taking responsibility for our emotions, so I am hesitant to think the craziness is the election’s fault. Or Trump’s. Or Biden’s. Or the Republicans. Or the Democrats.
Many would say it’s because this is the most important election in history. But it wouldn’t be the first time we were told that.
The media has ramped everything up and we have been subject to an unprecedented barrage of one-upmanship. When they are done telling you what’s going on, they fill the time with speculation on things that might happen or things we could see or may well experience in the hopes of holding your attention.
We are taunted with the possibility of new breaking developments. The ones you just can’t miss. And we find ourselves riveted.
It is a calculated, research driven race to the bottom of the brain stem.
If you feel as though the country is divided, you are right. But it always has been. Sure, the spotlight might be getting bigger and maybe even burning brighter, but we should welcome it because that is how we evolve. Growth isn’t always pretty, and it can be uncomfortable but as humans, I think it is what we are here for.
The people who voted differently than you did are not wrong, they are just focused on different things. With more than 325 million living in this country, there is just no way we are all going to see things in the same way.
We all have seen firsthand what ego and hubris look like. Let’s make sure we have our own in check.
As Americans, there have been many incredibly challenging things we have had to work through over the years. But we have always somehow done it and I believe this time will be no different.
Consider the idea of steering a boat. Straight lines don’t exist and progress means adjusting to the currents, the wind, other vessels, etc. We tack a little to the left and a little to the right and we repeat.
There are many things in our lives that are so much more important than who the president is. No politician in the history of our country has ever had the power to create meaning in our lives because it’s just not their job. It’s ours.
It is time for us to heal. Focus on being good humans. Cultivate curiosity about people and things you don’t understand. When you judge others, look for where the same quality exists in your own life. And never underestimate the power of a little compassion.
