The sun still rose

Yesterday I, (like most of the people in the civilized world) watched the outcome of the US Election unfold, the results were just starting to come through as I left work for the day and headed out onto the trail for my mid week run.

As there is no cellphone coverage in the area I run it wasn’t until much later that I heard the outcome. I tried to process a myriad of feelings – confusion, shock, horror, anger and concern but most of all I was just genuinely sad .. how did we get here?

I turned off the radio, shied away from social media and watched the Disney Channel with the kids in an attempt to stay away from “it all” – I just couldn’t watch ..

How did we get here?

This morning when I awoke the sun still rose.

And as I scrolled through my social media accounts, most of it filled with profanity and despair I came across a post from Rachel Brathen (@yoga_girl) that truly resonated with me;

I’m sitting in my garden, crying. Absolutely devastated. I went to bed early last night, fully expecting love to trump hate in this election. I woke up finding out it didn’t. So now I’m sitting here with a big lump in my throat, watching the sunrise, holding my belly. Praying for our future. It is important that you know this: Misogyny did not win last night. Sexism did not win last night. Racism did not win last night. Hatred did not win last night. What happened is: fear won. Briefly. A whole lot of people voted out of fear yesterday. Fear of not being safe. Fear of not being able to care for their families. Fear of the unknown. Deep down, not a single person voted out of hatred. People don’t vote to harm others; they are far too self-concerned for that. People vote for what they believe genuinely lies in their best interest. And right now there is enough fear out there to spur an entire switch of politics and power. Fear won. Hate did NOT. Why is this important? Because it’s our job now to help humanity turn fear into love. It’s up to us. Now is not the time to lash out at Trump supporters, at third party voters, at the media or at whoever you blame for this election. Now is not the time to complain, or panic, or escape. Now is the time to love. It is up to us now to love even harder than we ever have before. To find in our hearts what we wish had been reflected in the voting booths yesterday and to reflect it out into the world. To not despair, but to believe. Hate has trumped love – but only for a moment. This is not the end. It’s a beginning. This moment is an integral part of the grand masterpiece that is this tapestry of life. It feels like a loss, but it’s not permanent. Just a sharp unexpected turn on our path toward oneness. We will do better now. We will love harder now. We will fight with a stronger purpose now. The sun is rising and it’s a new day. So forgive. Acknowledge the fear that lies beneath it all and forgive. But first… We yoga. Get on your mats and cry it out. Release. Punch something. Shake it off. Then: back to love. No matter where you are or how you voted, you have never been less alone. #election2016

A photo posted by Rachel Brathen (@yoga_girl) on Nov 9, 2016 at 3:14am PST

Acknowledge that fear lies beneath it all and forgive for “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” (Albus Dumbledore)

Till next time