When All Hope Seems Lost — Thoughts on the Election. We are the Resistance.

Happy November!

A week ago I was dog and pet sitting for one of my sons while he and my daughter-in-law vacationed in Cancun, and leaves began to first display Autumn colors here.

Then, on Monday and Tuesday of this week, 8 inches of rain soaked our area, caused widespread flooding along with many school closures, and blew newly colored leaves off trees already.

On Tuesday, folks headed to the polls in the Presidential election across the U.S., and officials declared Donald Trump the winner in a decisive victory.

And on Wednesday morning, following the overnight announcement of the election results, the world as we knew it ended. Or so it seemed anyway, as many around me fell into a sinking feeling of hopelessness, depression, and despair. Feeling drowned and done in by both the rain and the election.

Well, let’s talk about that. Because talking about problems and bringing them out into the light of day can help us to not only work thru what is bothering us but also to figure out what we can do about it all going forward.

So this will be a different kind of post today, but one still focused on the ongoing mission here in the end.

As a father of four, an Eagle Scout, an unabashed tree-hugger, nature lover, and a follower of the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, and Lao-Tzu, I am committed to spreading kindness, compassion, empathy, concern for the environment and nature, helping others, traditional family values, and positivity. And to passing along those teachings to the next generation. That is what it is all about here. It always has been and always will be.

So, was I disappointed with the election results? Absolutely.

Donald Trump is a man focused on vengeance and revenge, a climate change denier who wants to roll back environmental protections, a pathological liar, a bully, an insurrectionist who tried to overturn valid election results, an aspiring authoritarian, and a spreader of hate and division. The antithesis of everything I stand for.

But Donald Trump aside, even more troubling to me was that Tuesday was a clear repudiation of all the values I hold dear by a large majority of the country, who, in voting for the man, endorsed and openly embraced all of what he espouses. If that accurately represents the state of our country right now, it truly is a much more worrisome concern than the man alone.

The current situation may cause many who share my beliefs to feel depressed and hopeless right now. Several friends and followers have reached out to me about it.

Yet, I know people around me who voted for Donald Trump. And they are not that, not what Donald Trump himself represents. Not at all. They are dear friends of mine and some family members who are supportive, caring, kind, helpful, and compassionate people who simply felt differently about the current state of the country than me. And that is okay, because that is what our country is all about and why we bother to have elections, after all.

And so, I believe, therein lies hope. Hope that not all may be as bad as it may first appear in the vote count. And I am holding fast to that. I am holding onto Hope. Because with hope, we can move forward.

“Hope is never mere, even when it is meager. When all other senses sleep, the eye of hope is first to awaken, last to shut.” — Elrond, from the J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired show, ‘The Rings of Power.’

For those who may struggle at the moment, feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or sadness following the election, as I have been telling everyone around me here and those who have messaged me —

For right now, simply — Breathe.

Take a breath. Then another. And another. Then look inside, center yourself, retrieve your balance, rekindle your courage, and revive the spirit of hope.

Never lose hope, because hope endures as long as we can breathe. Take comfort that as long as we still have breath, there is Hope.

Hope that we can still preserve that which we hold dear.

And take comfort because you are not alone. And will not be alone in the struggle and work that is coming.

We will keep working together to make the world a better place. A better place for Everyone, and for Everything, Everywhere.

So, this is where it is right now.

There will be dark days ahead when everything may feel lost. We will face difficult times, and our collective resolve will be challenged and put to the test. It is okay to feel sad, let down, and concerned now.

But it is never okay to give up or surrender our values. Or to lose our center, our balance, our spirit, or what we are about, what we hold to be true, and why we are here. The Universe has placed us together, at this moment in time, for a reason. You must know and believe that we are all here, each and every one of us, for a purpose. We must all believe, and to be prepared to act on that belief.

But for right now, our focus at the moment must simply be to breathe, look forward, prepare for tomorrow and the challenges ahead, and not lose hope. To take heart and have courage, because this too shall pass.

We will get thru whatever is to come — together.

*“Where hope grows, miracles blossom.” — Elna Rae***

Thank you for visiting!

If you have been feeling down or overwhelmed by the election, I hope this helps, even if just a little. If you are one who supported Donald Trump, no hard feelings. I only request that you try to respect our feelings and views as we respect yours. Everyone is welcome here, because in the end, we are all One.

In November now and in the midst of the Autumn season with the Thanksgiving holiday approaching soon here in the U.S., I encourage everyone to focus on the blessings in your life, all the things you are grateful for, and not the worries of the day. Do not allow outside turmoil to affect your inner peace, strength, and happiness.

So, for now — Rest — be grateful for what we have, and hold on to hope. We have a long road ahead of us and we have a lot of work to do.

And carry on, we must. We are the Resistance.

Best Wishes and Blessings! — Jim (and Red!)

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In case you missed it, I invite you to catch up on our weekly Monday Morning series — Living A Life of Gratitude, Mental Health Benefits, Physical Health Benefits, and It’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

You may also enjoy — “Happy October! Welcome Glorious Autumn!”, “Take A Walk To A Park for Healthy Exercise & Fun!”, and “Sharing An Autumn Delight — Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts”

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “Mitakuye Oyasin — We Are All Related,” and “Walking A Mile In Another’s Moccasins; What Tracks Will We Leave Behind?”

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“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you
just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.” — Anne Lamott