I Choose Hope

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Today was a hard day.
 
I am not particularly political. I am far less educated about history and politics than many of my family members and colleagues. However, when I woke up this morning and heard the news, I felt a deep sadness. Throughout the day I encountered others, kids and adults alike, who felt the same sense of disappointment, fear, and shock. I live in a place where many of the people share the same political and social views, a bubble perhaps, so many were stunned by last night’s events. And maybe we shouldn’t have been. Maybe this shock signifies the disconnect between left and right, red and blue.

Today was a hard day.
 
I watched colleagues and friends struggle with their own grief, all the while trying to remain professional and help our students and own children feel safe, regardless of political opinion, in a way that doesn’t denigrate, belittle, or fuel hatred.
 
Today was a hard day.
 
I listened to people profess fury, disgust, and fear. I watched people question the fundamental values of this country and the direction we are heading. 

​Today was a hard day.
 
However, I choose hope.
 
I choose to believe that there is a way forward. I choose to believe that love and family are stronger than fear and hate. I choose to believe that this is not the end, but a stop in the road, a time for us to pause and think about how to move on from here, a necessary if unwanted chance for us to look at what divides and unites us. Many would argue that this is simplistic and naïve. It is. And yet I don’t see an alternative.
 
Today was a hard day, but I believe tomorrow will be a little better. I choose to believe we can heal, we can learn, we can grow.
 
I choose hope.