My heart, at the end of this week, feels torn in so many places.

It’s not that I don’t agree with people’s right to choose. I say it all the time, to brave clients to my kids, to myself. We each DO get to choose.

I have spent months processing the strain and stress of this election cycle with those in every part of my life: friends, family, clients, strangers, colleagues. I have spent years talking to those retraumatized and disenfranchised due to the actions of D. Trump. None of this is new to me either, there is always some who strive to make others feel less, to make themselves feel better.

Yes, I respect that people get to choose, it is what our amazing country is built on. But I cannot abide (and what I have spent hours listening to and caring deeply about this week,) the loss of human dignity, respect, care, and decency. From women who are fearful for their own health, the many ways in which I am hearing sexual abuse survivors, become retraumatized by some of his words and sound bites or even the fact that an abuser has been elevated and chosen.

I cannot abide texts to children that recall and instigate again the atrocities of slavery, things that majority of us will never have to face but for many brothers and sisters, what their ancestors did. The fear and reality of racism increasing confirmed just days into this new reality.

I don’t know how to answer my own family’s imploring questions about how those of us with disabilities might be treated after mockery on a national stage. Nor do I know how to comfort those I love in the LGBTQ+ community.

My warrior teacher friends who are terrified with implications of sweeping education reform, the anger against Christians, from Christians and about Christians…

The realities of all these and so much more leave me utterly breathless…

And…. still we have love; still we have hope, care and where we can find those who want to understand each of our lived experiences, compassion, empathy, and more love.

My personal comfort comes and remembering the sun still comes up each day as it did before, God is still magnificently on his throne and not surprised by any of it. He loves deeper, cares infinitely more and is so sovereign, even if it’s hard to see that. Because I know all of this deep into my bones, I’m going to keep trying to love, to continue supporting those who are hurting and fearful, as well as trying to understand the perspective of those who are happy, post election, 2024.

Here is my plea with all of this in mind: just for a minute if you haven’t had to endure these difficulties, I’m thankful on your behalf. I would ask for kindness and understanding for so many who have and are so scared for so many reasons. Let’s not forget each other, or contribute to the pain that so many are encountering today.

If the selection came down to economy for you, there’s so much more to this than that in my professional and personal experiences.  If it came down to abortion and saving the lives of babies, do we have the same passions to save the lives of those around us?

Please consider this not as judgment if we differ in opinions, but simply a plea to value, dignify, and love each other. There is so much good in the world. And there is so much harm and hate. May we be a nation that contributes to the good and lessens the ugly hard. Though there has been so much more ugly hard in my corner of the world, especially this week, I still believe that God gives us the capacity to be more.

My beautiful daughter, as we were processing her thoughts and her heart after voting in this election, so beautifully reminded me of this verse. I am stunned by her faith. I am ever grateful.

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:21-24

Both/and

Xoxo.