Today is not the day for despair

Neither is tomorrow.

Or the next day, or next week or month.

I haven’t blogged in an unusually long time. There’s no reason for that other than I’ve honestly felt a bit mentally numb/overwhelmed/unable to respond to the world at large in the last month or so. Not catastrophically so – truthfully I’m doing pretty well. But the combination of everything going south with this time of year, the second wave of pandemic and isolation, and turmoil with the world around us (and South of Canada) with the volume of negative news… it’s a bit much.

And sometimes, when that much bad stuff to take in is all swirling around you, it’s totally okay to take a breather and just observe and reflect and think and absorb. That’s why I haven’t blogged in a while. There was a lot to observe and think about.

Oh, yeah, that election…

But always, always, the tide shifts and the pendulum swings back – and it’s time to act, respond, do, be and proceed.

For me, that moment of significant shift – I’ve noticed in the last years – always occurs after I’ve been inspired by something I’ve read or seen, something that just hits the nail on everything I’ve observed in what has temporarily caused me to retreat. Something that shines clarity, lifts the fog, and beacons like a sunrise…

And my next step is always to write my thoughts. For everyone, there’s some way they proceed when they’re finally ready to take stock of the world and dive into it forward. For me, it’s reflecting writing. And that’s what I’m doing right this very second. So that time is here. I’m going to share with you what awoke the fire in me again and my thoughts on it… and you guessed it with the timing of this blog post…

Oh, yeah, that election…

Why is today (or tomorrow, or the day after) not a day of despair?

Please read this powerful opinion article that serves as a stark reminder of what’s before the world (not just the United States) in this election.

It starts with a thought-provoking reflection from someone thinking about what it was like to be a Jewish youngster in post-Nazi Germany. Imagine them, so hurt and scarred by the atrocities of the Holocaust, that they look with skeptical judgement on every person of the elder generation because they might have been complicit or at the very least potentially supportive of the Nazi party.

The parallels to today are striking – the United States, and the world by association, are at a huge historical paradigm where every day from election day will look back and think (with significant judgement) on the way the world looks tomorrow and forever from now.

But rather than despair…

This is a ray of hope.

For, it’s a reminder of the incredible power that each of us have in our hands, minds, and hearts – and I mean ALL OF US (not just those who live in the United States and cast a vote that will cause future generations to either love or scorn this generation).

Every single action, moment, decision reverberates forever. No act is limited or in isolation.

Every vote can make a difference in history. Every politician’s decision, every word we speak, every action we make… it’s a vote in the course of the world.

And we cannot forget that.

Every future day, generation, every moment forward is impacted by what we do now.

And that is powerful!

And that is why we can’t give in to despair

No matter what happens down south today, tomorrow, or any other day from now, the power is still in our hands as human beings in this connected world.

Please read this second article: 5 Reasons You Should Be Optimistic Leading Into Election Day

Yes, yes, yes, you must be optimistic, always. No matter what happens.

Yes, the United States in is tatters.

“But an election is a milestone, not a finish line”

There you go, that’s why we don’t despair. Our work, as good people, will never end so long as we live. It won’t end after the election (no matter where in the world we live). It won’t end tomorrow, or the day after – no matter who resides in the White House.

We will, we must, always fight the good fight.

We must always stem the tide against the infiltration of despair in our world, and hold up the good for our world.

For as long as there are good people in this world – and there always are – this world is worth fighting for.

And every moment, every action, every word, every breath – every vote… matters.