Today is for Mourning, Tomorrow is for Loving

First let me say, I am extremely disappointed with half of my country today. 

Though I live in Berlin, and intend to stay here for an indefinite amount of time (hell, maybe forever after what just happened), the result of today’s election will haunt me, my country, and the world, for years to come. 

How could we have let this happen? 

I woke up at 5am to check the election results. After refreshing the screen on my phone, I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my guts. 

No fucking way, I will never fall back asleep now.

Surely I am having a nightmare, please tell me this isn’t real.  

I was shocked, embarrassed, confused. Still am, actually.

It was all fun and games in the beginning. No one could have seen this coming. I admit it, even I laughed and joked about the thought of him winning.

Now that the cold hard truth was staring at me in the face, it made me want to cry. Though I live in Berlin, I am filled with sadness for my friends, my family, my baby niece, all of whom have to live in a country run by a blatant misogynist, racist, and tyrant. 

Maybe you're angry or sad like I am. That's totally ok. Take this day for mourning... but please, whatever you do, don't let it break you down for good. It’s more important than ever to get back to work and keep fighting the good fight....with love. That's right folks, keep on loving one another, it's the only way we will ever conquer fear. 

I am not defined by my president.

It is my duty to lead by example and show the rest of the world that not all Americans are ignorant bigots ruled by fear. 

I will continue to lead with love.

I will continue to ask questions when things make me uncomfortable.

I will continue to befriend people who come from different cultures and backgrounds. Not only do I have a lot to learn from our differences, but I love being reminded of just how much we all have in common. 

I will not dismiss someone based on their religion, their skin color, their gender, their sexual preference. We are all different, and that's fucking beautiful.

I will keep laughing, hoping, loving, celebrating, dancing, and rejoicing. I will not let anyone break my optimism for the cosmic shift that's coming. And don't believe for one second that it's not coming. 

I know it feels hopeless right now, but this can’t go on forever. The dam is breaking.

The best thing you can do right now is keep on loving, especially those who have different political views as you. Though they may not show it, they need your love the most. 

Remember why you voted the way you did. 

I believe that everyone should have access to healthcare, regardless of which side of the tracks you grew up on. 

I believe that you shouldn’t have to make a choice between paying for a doctor’s visit or buying your family groceries for the week. 

I believe that everyone should have access to higher education.

I believe that women should be paid equally as men if they are doing equivalent work. 

I believe that gay people have just as much right to marry as straight people.

I believe that it is a woman’s choice to do WHATEVER she wants with her body.

Oh and this may seem like a no-brainer, but I firmly believe that police officers should stop killing black people. Please....S T O P.

This is not defeat. 

Sure this feels like a thousand steps backwards, but sometimes things must get worse before they get better. The minute we feel defeated however, is the minute we stop trying. And we can’t stop trying, not now. The world needs us; the dreamers, the dancers, the artists, the lovers, the laughers, the feelers, the healers.  

Please LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, one another. It's the only way.