Life Goes On: My President is Orange?
/FIRST OFF (in my Tupac voice)... The only President I acknowledge is Barack (in my Jay Z voice).
Orange Trump from Twitter
*Deep Breath*
Alright, so apparently Donald Trump will be the next leader of the Free World. Even that was painful to type just now. I needed a moment to collect my thoughts before I posted anything about this yuuuge disaster because I am still trying to process it and get my heart rate under control. But really, I'm still sick about this. November 9th will probably go down as one of the saddest days in modern history, at least for most of us (since Hillary Clinton won the most votes).
The commute to work that day was depressing. Silence, long faces, red eyes, blank stares. On the transit bus crossing into New York City, people of all hues and walks of life all headed to their jobs contemplating all of the major changes that will occur over the next four years and beyond. The NYC skyline was covered by a veil of thick fog and mist. Even the sky was sad; the atmosphere was heavy and gray, crying over what had been announced hours before. It's as though the Earth knows what is in store for the environment under a Trump regime.
The rest of the day dragged on, most of it spent doing mindless busywork and trying to suppress tears as Hillary Clinton finally emerged to give her concession speech. That night we made it a point to abstain from the news broadcasts, and got some much needed sleep.
The next morning was bright, clear, and crisp. It was one of those beautiful days that make autumn such a great season. Mother Nature was telling us that there will still be life and beauty, even in the midst of confusion. Instead of turning on the news, I left the television off and cracked open my Bible to whatever was on its pages, which opened directly on Luke 1. I read about Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth who was old and barren, but was blessed by God with a baby that they named John (as in John the Baptist), which spoke directly to my own need for a booster shot of faith in the midst of hopeless circumstances. I said a prayer, then headed to work and did my job. My heart, although saddened, was stronger than the day before, knowing that "for with God, nothing is impossible," Luke 1:37.
From Instagram @tevoninsta 2016
So as we all shake off the sadness and initial anger in the coming days, please remember that life goes on. It has to. Reset. Take a mental health moment. Soothe yourself with good things and positive vibes. Pray. Meditate, connect with loved ones if that helps. If we stay paralyzed in fear, we can't do the work that needs to be done. If we continue to be angry, we cannot spread love. If we develop hate in our hearts, we are no better than he who we voted against. Prepare yourself for the days ahead with love, faith, and inner strength. There is a lot of work to do, and we need clear hearts and open minds to move forward.