The day after

'I'm still processing the big surprise dropped into our lives on election day.
I was truly shocked.
How could the polls have been so wrong?
There are a lot of factors, I'm sure, one  being that many who voted chose not to participate in surveys, polls, etc.

Rural America is being credited for electing Trump, and rural folk tend to be very independent - suspicious of those who ask too many questions, maybe a little more likely to thumb their nose at convention.

Apparently Trump's brashness resonated with a lot of folks.

I just can't get over the fact that a billionaire real estate mogul, one who was recently a Democrat and a friend of the Clintons, somehow convinced rural conservative America he is just like them.

Wow.  Maybe he's smarter than I thought.

I will say that I was heartened by the responses of both winners and losers to election results.

See, we can be civil if we want to be.

I thought Hillary's speech was admirably gracious after such a contentious campaign, and Trump was gracious too.

Maybe he was a little shocked himself that he won!

There's been a lot I haven't liked about both presidential candidates.

But I'm trying hard to find some positivity in all this.

I've concluded that we Americans get all emotionally worked up about things, but we usually "get over it" quickly.

We are like the stock market over the course of the last 24 hours. Wildly swinging back and forth.

It's important to keep a clear and steady head to move this country forward. I'm not sure that's what we will see out of this president, but we can cultivate that in ourselves.  Try not to have knee-jerk reactions to "different" ideas.
Seek to understand.  Be patient.
Be kind. Pray for the old rascal to have wisdom.

There were lots of prayers for the election. I wonder what would happen if we prayed as fervently for our leaders often and regularly?  The ones we like and the ones we don't like.

At the very least, it would change us. Maybe make us more empathetic.

Okay, I'm ready to move on with my life now.

I aspire to exercise some of Hillary's resolve to not grow weary in well-doing.

And I resolve not to be afraid.
Remember?  The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Let's carry on. ;)