Last night, I thought Hillary Rodham Clinton was going to bust through that glass ceiling and become our nation's first female president. I voted for her with unexpected but happy tears in my eyes. I was buoyant. I thought she had finally done it. That was not the case. Today, I am despondent. I am numb. I want to curl up in bed and cry. I am going to need to look at a lot of cute animal pictures to get my through this day.
Normally, when my party loses an election, I'm upset but I get over it. Sure, my pick may have lost - but the other candidates tended to be good and moral people. I've never been scared before. Today, I am afraid. I am afraid about the direction this takes our country. I am afraid about what this validates about the worse parts of our people and culture. I am afraid for all those who do not have the voice I have been given due to my race and economic background. I am afraid that all the progress this country has made on minority and women's rights has been wiped out.
I so want to be wrong. I want the future to not be as bad as I expect. I want to be surprised. But, my stomach is in knots, a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes. I will be holding them back, because there is still work to be done - both in my life and as a country.
I entered my profession because I wanted to connect people with things and information they love and need. On hard days like this, I am reminded of the smiles people have when they enter a library for the first time. I am reminded that libraries connect people with resources they may otherwise not have access too. I am reminded that kids finding books is an adorable sight. I am reminded that there is still much that is good about this country and the people in it because there are always people who want to help others.
So, this digression of a post is a reminder to me of a quote from a Disney movie: "Have courage and be kind." I am making that my motto. I believe that tough days are ahead, but if we have courage and are kind to one another, we can get through it.
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