Still Reeling

I feel like my life is a series of "Wow, what a week!"s. 

I must utter that more than any other phrase. 

This month (last half of October and first part of November) has been such a whirlwind of emotions. I have been riding an insane roller coaster.

It's been great to have Rea home, and I (so far) have really enjoyed bonding and teaching her. I pray it continues. 

Mostly right now I am thinking about the country though. This is not a political website. I don't like to really share my political opinions with many people - I was raised to hold my votes dear and play them close to the chest. When I was growing up, people didn't talk about who they were voting for... Teachers didn't give their political opinions... My parents voted, but we never discussed the candidates or positions... I never knew the political affiliation of any of my friends or their parents.

I wish it was like that again.  

I liked not knowing. 

Because, does it really matter? Do you like me less if you know who I voted for? Do you truly think that I am a [insert slanderous term] because I chose to vote a certain way? 

Can I ask you why? Maybe you don't feel/think/react that way. But, if you do, why is that the conclusion you jump to? Why aren't we, as a collective, celebrating our FREEDOM to choose? Why aren't we proud to have the opportunity to choose the candidate we want? When did diversity and difference of opinion become racist, sexist, ignorant, intolerant, rude, wrong, etc.? 

I choose not to subscribe to that particular way of thinking.
I choose to teach my kids that as Americans, we are so lucky to have the chance to choose.
I choose to teach my kids that they can't force their opinions onto others, that it's not ok to name call or belittle those who disagree with them.
I choose to teach them to listen to differing views, to learn from those, to respect the differences we all have, to love the person, to do their part to be a blessing in the world. 
I choose to pray for the President elect, his family, his running mate, his cabinet.
​I choose to support and respect the highest office in our land, as I have done for Presidents before this.

These are just my thoughts. Take them or leave them. Rea and I are now going to jump head first into a study of past Presidents.