I love the way my phone turned the sunrise this morning into something almost abstract and painterly:
Otherwise I don't really have much to say. My silence isn't really due to the election results, although I have mixed feelings about them. I happy that voter turnout was high for a midterm, especially important here in East Tennessee where we tend to have low turnout. I am happy that some races were actually close. I choose to see hope. But at the same time I know that elections aren't won based on reason, they are won and lost based on emotion.
I'll share what I wrote in my journal this morning. I am transcribing it here but not editing. Expect no polish or expansion, just the beginnings of thoughts:
But again fear and division is winning and it makes me sad -- all the hatred in the world. But the problem isn't really hatred, it is fear. Hatred is the symptom. The problem is fear, and people slowly absorbing the messages of division that surround us all. No matter how smart we are, no matter how well-intentioned, we are all like sponges, absorbing part of our being from our surroundings. We can't stop the anger and hatred until we can learn to to listen and attempt to understand, until we can share love and not dismay. We are all guilty of this, myself as much as anyone else. It is never them versus us, it is always all of us together. Until we try to understand each other, until we say no to those who spread the fear, until we open our arms to each other even in the midst of fear and disagreement, kindness can never prevail, humanity can never win over hatred. You can't say no to hatred, it begets more fear and hatred. We can only say yes to people, and hope that we can release the bias that enchains us all.
