R. U. Okay ?

I'm Here For You <3

Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash

It is late Wednesday, November 6th. It may be my fourteenth start to this post. Last night my phone began ringing late, past 11 p.m. There was crying; it was a friend of 30+ years. After working twelve hours in a campaign office. She was driving to her home in a swing state and heard the news. Then texts began rolling in with a “tweet” sound effect, my phone sounded like birds chirping. 

For weeks, I was the person talking people off the ledge about this election. I’ve been a poll worker at early voting sites in Indiana for most of October. I shared anecdotes with anxious friends about the groups of women coming to vote in Chucks and Pearls. I relayed stories about the eruption of bipartisan applause for first-time voters by people waiting in line.

Tonight, I don’t know quite what to say. I have readers and subscribers who are ecstatic. They are feeling refreshed, happy, and energized after the election results. They are looking forward to the next four years. In 2020, this same group experienced despair and disappointment.

Yet, I know many people, men and women, who are struggling today. There is a rollercoaster of emotions from being stunned, disillusioned, and disheartened. Others are terrified of autocracy and a potential oligarchy that may end our future opportunity to vote and experience peaceful transitions of power. 

As difficult as it was, most people got out of bed this morning. They put one foot in front of the other and did whatever was planned. And, we’ll do that again tomorrow. Today, I started my morning playlist with Andra Day’s, “Rise Up” from her 2015 Cheers to the Fall album. It was the perfect song to start a new day after a very long night. If R&B/Soul is one of your preferred music genres, I highly recommend you add this song to your playlist.

Photo by NEXA BLACK on Unsplash- Working out is a great way to de-stress!

It is a great time to practice self-care. Today, I had my first workout with a personal trainer in a decade. It was challenging. I worked up a sweat, and that experience was what I needed. Relax with your pet and watch television. Or, take a long walk on a nearby trail or along the beach as far away from a television as possible. Treat yourself. Everyone processes disappointment differently; give yourself the time you need.

America has endured tough times. We had a civil war; earthquakes, the 1918-1920 flu pandemic killing ~675,000; hurricanes; the 9/11 attack; mass shootings; gas lines and the 1973 Oil Crisis, the Vietnam War and anti-war protests; floods, Pearl Harbor, wildfires, the Great Depression 1929-1941; and the Covid-19 pandemic.                                                               

Through all of this, Americans bounced back. Americans have resilience. You will find yours.

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