By the time you read this, we will be just about one week away from electing the person who will become the most powerful and influential elected official on the planet.
In the current climate, I dare not predict that we will be a week away from knowing who we have elected, but at least our part in the process — the voting part — will be concluded.
Thankfully and mercifully, we will be just one week away from a break from campaign ads!
We will have participated — at least some of us will have — in the privilege granted to us by our founding fathers of making our preferred choices known through the ballot box.
Some will have chosen not to participate — which is also a privilege granted to us in a free society.
All that being said, I reiterate that it is decision time!
But, I’m not talking about THAT decision.
There are some other decisions that are long overdue and in my humble opinion (at least as much humility as I can muster), making them NOW (not waiting to see how the election turns out) is absolutely essential to our effectively moving forward into our nation’s next chapter.
- It’s time to decide NOW that we are — at this crucial moment — participating in the most important election in history … since the one in 2016 and until the one in 2024.
People feel strongly about the choices before us. That’s not a bad thing.
But here’s the truth: If the person you voted for wins this election, it will not usher in utopia. If the person you voted for loses, the world will not spin off its axis.
It. Just. Won’t.
Here's the truth: If the person you voted for wins this election, it will not usher in utopia. If the person you voted for loses, the world will not spin off its axis. It. Just. Won’t. Share on X2. It’s time to decide NOW how we will behave when the final results of the election are revealed.
Once the election has been decided, it is time to get to the business of working together for the benefit of one another and for the world. It is NOT time for winners to gloat and losers to whine. Neither of those serves any good purpose.
BE what you want to SEE.
3. It’s time to decide NOW to do some bridge-building.
Unkind words have been spoken, accusations have been made, flat-out demonstrable untruths have been told in support of agendas — and I’m not talking about political candidates. I’m talking about those who support them.
It’s time for some genuine apologies to be offered. No one need apologize for passion or convictions about issues, but the way we have treated fellow human beings and fellow Americans — as enemies to be destroyed by any means possible — is unconscionable.
We don’t need any “I’m sorry if my statements and behavior offended you” apologies.
We need some “I’m sorry I behaved like a jerk in promoting my agenda and treated you as if you were less of a person/American/Christian/etc because your views were different from mine.”
4. It’s time to decide NOW to do some recalculating.
What kind of life do we want to live? I readily admit that I deliberately tune out most of the national political noise because I have yet to hear a candidate clearly and with class articulate a reason why his or her ideas are worth supporting. It seems that the common approach is to paint one’s opponent as evil incarnate who must be kept away from sharp objects and small children.
I realize that the political machine operates that way and none of us has much influence that could bring any real change.
But is this really the way we want to live our lives? In our hometowns and neighborhoods? Do we really want to forego opportunities to truly build communities where each person is valued for who they are?
Do we really want to place our trust in and give our ultimate allegiance to those with temporary power and flawed character instead of God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present, completely perfect, and immeasurably loving?
Let’s take a hard look at ourselves and decide NOW that we will choose to be amazing no matter where or how the winds blow.
Be amazing — starting today — my friend.
