Let me begin this post with full disclosure—I am a Democrat. I am, in fact, a card-carrying liberal in a family of Republicans. I also happen to live in Texas, albeit in that lovely pocket of blue known as Dallas. And while I am incredibly relieved that Obama won the election last night, my joy is somewhat tempered by the fact that I vividly remember what it's like to lose.
Funny thing is, I'm not even political. I may be the least political person I know. But the morning after George W Bush won a second term, I was filled with horror and despair. How could this happen? I wondered. Dear God, what are we going to do now? And my biggest question; How could my country let me down like this?
So today, let me just say to all the Republicans out there—I get it. I know what you're feeling. A little piece of you died last night and today is a very bad day. Every celebratory tweet or post will feel like a knife twisting in your heart. You'll feel despondent and hopeless and you'll wonder how you're going to make it through.
But trust me, moving to Canada isn't the answer. They're even more liberal than we are and your US money won't go as far as it used to. If I were a betting woman, I'd wager you wouldn't like it there.
However, if I may, please allow me to offer a few words of advice meant with only the purest intentions.
First and foremost—grieve. It's okay. Your dream of the future didn't come through. It's okay to be upset and disappointed. If you weren't, then you obviously didn't care that much. So be angry and heartsick and disgusted and worried and everything else you care to be. Take a moment to acknowledge the loss you feel and your uncertainty about where this country is headed.
When you've had your fill of that, remember to be thankful. You happen to live in one of the few places on earth where you're allowed to vocally and vigorously disagree with the party in power. Unlike many places in the world, no one will try to silence you. You need not fear reprisals. People in this country don't routinely die for their political beliefs and for that, we should all be grateful.
But above all, don't give up hope. This country will be great again. It's what we all want. And while we might not agree on how we get there, it's our common goal and we must figure out how to work together to make it happen.
So perhaps, for just today, you can decide to wait and see. Don't call the moving van just yet. If nothing else, simply vow to fight another day.
One thing I've learned is that four years goes by surprisingly fast.
