Today our divided nation will finally share a common thought: “Thank God this election is over.”
It has been a particularly nasty battle. And too many of us know the damage caused by breathing in the second-hand vitriol that has filled the air in these recent months.
It is time to breathe in the fresh air of hope.
At some point in the past few weeks, I started thinking about the wonderful poem by Howard Thurman called “The Work of Christmas Begins.” And it made me realize once more that Election Day is not the end, but only the beginning.
No matter what happens when the votes are tallied, the real work of living begins on Wednesday.
So with a grateful nod to Howard Thurman, I wrote these words this morning as I prepare to vote. I offer them with a simple hope: That, no matter what the outcome may be today, we as a nation might be led to the common work that belongs to us all.
When the clamor of pollsters is stilled,
when the commercials and phone calls go silent,
when the memes and insults are gone,
when the nation awakes on Wednesday,
the work of living begins:
to love the neighbor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to welcome the stranger,
to renew trust among the people,
to hear the voices long silenced,
to bring peace to the nation,
to build a home for hope.
*The image used in the banner is a picture of a portion of a painting created by Lisle Gwynn Garrity. Be sure to check out her website. She and her work are amazing.
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