Like many, I’ve spent the past few weeks processing the results of the U.S. election and wondering what kind of sadist thought it was a good idea to put Thanksgiving just a few short weeks after Election Day. With only a few hours to go before Turkey Day, I have to say I’m feeling surprisingly grateful for this federal holiday, if only for a brief moment to breathe, reflect, and digest something other than the post-election news cycle.
In the immediate aftermath of Election Day, still wrapped up in the hypothetical rhetoric of the campaigns it very much felt like the world was ending, and in many ways it was. For those of us on the unelected side, the future we had envisioned was gone and replaced by a lot of uncertainty.
While the path we were hoping for may be gone. I assure you there are other routes. This was never going to be a short journey. We were always going to have to pivot, compromise, and reroute. It was always going to be a long, winding road. Now it’s just a different one with some unexpected obstacles.
I think one of the first obstacles many of us need to overcome is how we see those who voted differently than ourselves. A quick look at the ballot measures that passed in a lot of states that voted red in the presidential category shows you that most people are voting for progressive policies. If that’s not hope, I don’t know what is.
If you’re still in the despair phase, I get it. Just know that this feeling will pass. There’s still hope. There are still countless reasons to work towards a world you want to see, and despite what it may feel like right now, there is still plenty to be grateful for.
Be Kind. Be Brave. Stay Awkward. Have a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving.
Onward & Awkward 