My older sister called tonight, asking me for advice on what to tell my twin 6th grade nephews when they woke up tomorrow. She put me on speaker, so my 11th grade nephew, still up and upset after spending 100’s of hours on GOTV efforts for local progressive candidates in Wyoming.
We talked about the usual suspects — what went wrong, who to blame, why the progressive movement is broken, and how to fix it. I guess that’s what you all here will need to decide, either via discussion on this site, or in your own lives.
For myself, I mostly enjoyed my return to the fold here for a few months — all you bleeding heart liberals are my people, and i love each of you so much for the way you care for others. I know this election is tough for all of you. I myself am heartbroken.
So, once again, I’ll be leaving this community for awhile. I’m going to try to go back to doing work for people and causes I love, in my own personal way. I’m going to spend time loving my wife, my kids, my community, and some complete strangers.
For those of you looking to pour yourself into an action, I highly recommend you take some time tomorrow do something selfless for someone else. Make someone else's life better. Write a letter to an old friend. Volunteer for a soup kitchen. Wash your elderly neighbors car. Tutor someone.
So this is what I will tell my kids tomorrow morning: We may be living in a time of hate and darkness, but that does not need to stop us from continuing, with each day of our lives, to live into love and light. Our own experience of life is much less related to the uncontrollable things happening around us than it is to the state of mind we put ourselves in by our attitudes and actions towards one another. You may feel anger, fear, even hate — but i hope the world will know you by your love.