Celebrate The Little Things

Ugh.  I had hope that after this election, the ugliness of these campaigns would end.  Turns out it was just the beginning.

I waited until after school to take my girls with me to vote.  I wanted them to remember this historical day, that they were there when their mommy cast a vote for the first female president.  But it was not to be.


But we still learned important lessons.  My girls still believe a woman will be President.  Not an "if" but a "when."  I learned the importance and need of higher education in America.  We need to make sure future generations of Americans have the opportunity to expand their horizons, to know and love people who are different than themselves and what they grew in and around.  And maybe, just maybe, that knowledge will help people to understand that the ramifications of their decisions extend beyond just their immediate wants and needs.

As a former Republican who voted for Hillary, what I wish my Republican friends, straight friends and non-minority friends would understand is that this election went far beyond politics and policy alone.  This decision was about basic human decency.  Some of us are insulated against the real ramifications of this vote, but it doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye to those who will live it every. freaking. day.  I've seen people who voted for Trump posting that they are not racist, homophobic or sexist.  Friends who have tried to explain that it was an "impossible" choice between two candidate they equally disliked so they used their policies to decide, that it nothing to do with the "other stuff."  And I do think that probably half of the people that voted for him aren't racist, homophobic or sexist themselves.  But the other half is.  And by voting for a candidate who endorsed the most deplorable behavior, you gave your affirmation to the other half that their type of behavior was ok.  And it's not ok.  It will never be ok.  But it is our current reality and you can and will see for yourselves how this election has emboldened anti-equal rights people, racists and misogynists to come out of the woodwork and brazenly attack others different than them.  It's already happening.

After a couple of days of sorrow, I took the advice of a friend who was also feeling down.  She's a middle school teacher and had students who were crying, afraid what this presidency would mean to their families.  She was strong for those kids and gave them a safe space to express their emotions while holding down her own.  She reminded me to celebrate the little things.  In our America and in our homes.  We celebrate that California elected Kamala Harris, one of four new women of color to the Senate.  We celebrate that women now hold four of five seats on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.  That these women were elected not just because of race or party, but because of their superior qualifications.  And yesterday, we celebrated my "baby" losing her very first tooth.

She's lucky big sister didn't exact revenge by throwing it into the air conditioning vent like someone (ahem the one on the right) did to her two years ago!

Small victories, but victories all the same.