Surprisingly Flabbergasted

I had a volunteer obligation tonight that took my limited attention away from the political goings-on. When I got home, Fella sat pale faced in front of the t.v.

I looked to see the electoral vote tally stood at 254 to 209.

I looked back at pale faced Fella, eyes wide, mouth agape.

Just moments before, as I walked through the gate, I was imagining life with the first woman POTUS. I was thinking about what wholly unrelated to the election thing I would cobble together to post here for the day.

Now I am only at a loss for words.

While I may not be able to quite articulate the extent of my shock and awe, I am still able to empathize with the electorate that has brought this to fruition. Perhaps that's my privilege as a white woman. Perhaps it's because I left my west coast bubble and lived in a flyover state for a minute. Perhaps it's because some of my core values are the same as theirs. Even if I don't believe he is the means to whatever end they hope to accomplish.

It's hard to walk in someone else's shoes. Maybe that's all we need to remember. Not that those people are dumb or uninformed or backwards. It's also what we ALL need to remember, even Them.

I've commented after most presidential elections in recent memory: we are a country idealogically split nearly in equal halves. When balance tilts too far one direction, there will be the equal and opposite reaction.

We need our representative government to be made of mediators, not dividers. We need to take the buzz out of the word compromise and give it credibility again. We need to remember how to share, which is the essence of the so-called social contract, right? Share the burden to care for your fellow man, take when you need, give back when you can?

And here I thought I was at a loss for words.