Why I'm Not Freaking Out About the Election

Before reading this article, please keep these three points in mind the entire time:

1). I'm 21, and I know just as much as I can try to wrap my head around about politics. I'm not a political science major, I haven't taken a government class since I was 15, and I'm not an expert in presidential campaigns.

2.) Yes, I did vote in the 2016 presidential campaign.

3.) You have every right to disagree with this post, hate this post, or not read this post. Just like I have every right to post it in the first place.

I'll state the obvious; of course I'm worried! All of America has spent the last two years holding their breath about the future of our country. The suspense was incredibly intense and to be honest, I wouldn't have been thrilled either way. America was cornered into picking the lesser of two evils, and it has left so many Americans feeling bitter and defeated. 

However, I woke up this morning telling myself the most important thing we need to remember: life goes on. Life never, ever, plays out how you think it will, or how you want it to. Your worst day is someone's best, and the moment you feel like giving up is someone else's celebratory realization to try again. We owe it to ourselves, to our country, and to each other, to not let go of what we feel is right.

I do not care if our president is female, male, black, white, a criminal, or a racist, because I am still me each and every day I want to be. I will still love my gay friends, and happily walk in a gay rights parade with them any day of year. I will gladly stop walking on my way to class to sign a petition to end domestic violence on college campuses. I will hold the door for you if you are black, in a wheelchair, or if you are a male. I will smile at you if you look like you are having a bad day, no matter what you are wearing. I will give you some change if I walk past you and you are holding a homeless sign. I will say Happy Hanukkah to you even though I celebrate December with a Christmas tree. I do not care what you look like, believe in, or where you came from; if I loved you yesterday, I will love you both today and tomorrow. 

This election has brought out a lot of evil words and negative notions about one another. It has brought tears, protests, and even violence. You, as one person, cannot control the laws and regulations that may start to take place soon. But, you, as one person, can choose how you react to them. You, as one person, can stand up against something you feel is not right. But most importantly, you, as one person, have the right to feel, believe, and act however you please. You have no idea why the people next to you voted how they did, but it shouldn't matter. They aren't you, and yelling at them that they are wrong is simply a waste of your own energy.

Teach your child to be the kind of person you would be proud of. Our president doesn't control your family dinner talks, your bedtime story lessons, or the hug you receive from your children as they run off the bus. Be the role model you want to see your child be in 18 years. Let your child flourish into who they want to become, with your encouragement and guidance. Educate them. Show them what it's like to do the right thing, despite the president or their political party. No one has taken your right to raise your child how you want away from you.

With this being said, be sad if you want to be. Be worried, be mad, feel hopeless, and feel betrayed. But soon enough you will realize that you need to pick up the pieces and continue to live. Do not let a single person, even the president of the United States, hold you back from love. Love heals all and right now love is what we need. 

It's irrelevant now if I voted for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, or another party; it is irrelevant who you voted for, or if you even voted at all. Donald Trump is now our President and you must keep your faith in our country. He won the most electoral votes, and he will lead our country for at least four years. Take that as you will and hold on to hope that he will take our country to where it needs to be. He clearly has bright ideas, potential better outcomes, and leadership skills, or he simply would not have made it this far. He did something right, and that is not something we cannot change at this point in time. 

I'm not panicking, I'm not yelling, nor did I cry or wake up feeling unable to go to class. Worrying will simply do you no good. Now is not a time for endless hopelessness, or a time for pointing fingers. It's a time to swallow a pill and keep on living, just as we did yesterday, last week, and last year. 

To minorities, those of the LGBTQ community, and women: Hold on to love. Breathe. Don't give up. Don't give in. Breathe. Stick together. Give those you once hated a chance to prove themselves. Breathe. Choose love, always. 

Appreciate the simple idea that you woke up this morning to even witness another day in this life.