It's November 9th. The day after the election and I have to tell you that I am a bit out of sorts today. I woke up at 8 o'clock this morning and decided that it was still too early for me since I'd been up half the night watching my television with confusion and disbelief then put myself back to sleep to wake at about 12 this afternoon. It was a good sleep. A sound sleep. I dreamt very little and was in a very comfortable position on my bed upon waking holding on to my pillow as if it were my lover. I felt cradled and above all a sense of love...not from the pillow mind you but from the prayers I said before sleeping.

Prayer...for me...before sleep, takes the edge off of how the world has affected me for the day. Prayer for me, is a cleansing of everything that I have done and may have done wrong, a confessional and a resolution to the problems I have faced throughout the day. It is how I gather the peace to solidify my soul and the strength to carry on when I feel like maybe I can't. It's everything I need to get along with myself and those around me when nothing makes sense and the clearing of my mind when everything is just a jumble of thought and emotion. I give it all away in prayer and receive what the Lord has instilled in me, strengthened in me and renewed in me....which is love. Pure and simple.

So I woke with love this afternoon. Yes, that confusion and sadness was there too at the discovery of the outcome of the night's events but love allowed me to get out of bed and get my day started like I would on any other day. My love is not for myself but for others who woke and went to bed feeling the same way I did. For those who just don't know what to make of the future and have a strong fear of the effects of this outcome on their lives and their children's lives. It's an outward thing that reaches the hearts of those who are in need, wanting to comfort and console them in some way.

With this love swimming through me, I got on with my routine. Cleaned myself up, made myself coffee and took the cocktail of meds that I take every day and have been taking for the last three + years. Sometimes when you are feeling down – it gets hard to stay on top of your routine or the things that get you through the day. Something as simple as taking a shower seems to become a chore or an after-thought. Feeding yourself and taking medication get put off either because you're not hungry or because you think you can do without it. I didn't eat because I wasn't hungry. My stomach had been doing nervous flips last night before I went to bed and when I woke up that tumbling was still there. So I had my coffee and meds.

Usually I step outside to get a breath of fresh air after getting my routine out of the way. Today I did that but I smoked. I lit that cigarette with the thought that this was going to settle my nerves and that the exhale would provide me with some relief. You know – it's all in the mind. The cigarette is just an excuse to consort in bad behavior or to give in to my addiction. I could have stepped outside like I do any other day without smoking and enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air without mucking up my lungs with smoke. But I felt like I needed it. The night was hard and the afternoon just a little bit harder since I had read some of my friends' thoughts on Facebook about the election. It seems we are all unsure as to what life will be like in the coming months and years. We're all frightened and/or pissed off and we are all wanting there to be some silver lining to it all. Only time will tell if there is one.

I have to remind myself that while the world is an ever changing vehicle that the driver is not. God is and will always be the same. That gives me hope and strength. That gives me a power to forge ahead and to do the things I know I need to do for my future – it's just getting over the hump that is this Wednesday. I thought, if I come and write I'll feel better. This will take the sting out of the wound that has been inflicted upon my spirits. I can do this.

But as I sit here at the computer – a million and one things are going through my mind. Life. Children. Friends. Family. Government. Neighborhood. Neighbors. Those that want to do good and those that mean us harm...mental well-being, physical and emotional wellbeing because let's face it. Things like this can have a pretty strong effect on all of that. Some of us will experience a sickness like they've never felt before. Some are. And it all has to do with our emotional and mental health. It is in these times that we must take care of ourselves, more than we would at any other time.

Depression is a silent thing that can wreak much havoc and cause much pain. It's the holiday season as well and people are already on that roller coaster of emotion looking to find stability in all of this. We must take care of ourselves. And we must be vigilant. You and everything about you matter. Your thoughts, your concerns, your ideas. All of it. Treat it as such.

I want to offer some encouragement.

I want to tell you that even though we are facing a major change, one that will no doubt effect history that there is still hope. I push hope like I push chocolate and coffee on people. I want converts and believers. I do! It's something we all need to have in our lives while we still live on earth. While we still have government and while evil is still present in our world.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." – Hebrews 11:1 Have you heard this before? Can I ask you if you have the faith to withstand the things we see and to have hope in the things we cannot see?

If faith is the substance of hope; what then is hope but the basis of our faith. Can I ask you to stand with your hearts full of hope and love and not waver in the face of all that threatens to shake you? Can I ask you to love each other to the fullest extent of your hearts and even overflow with your generosity, your courage and your kindness for a world that is in desperate need of it?

I know, I can ask – but will you do these things?

I cannot change the world by myself. I need likeminded people with me. I need people whose hearts are pure, ready and willing to do a great work. And guess what – this doesn't take a lot on your behalf. All you have to do is be the wonderful human being that you are towards other people. Respect others, love genuinely and show some compassion for those around you.

No need to sign up for this – you can do this right where you are. And I'll tell you how.

The next time you see someone cry, offer them a tissue and comfort. The next time someone has their hands full, open the door for them. The next time you see someone being harmed, bullied or put down, step in as their advocate. Use your voice, your skill and your means to ease the pain and suffering of others. It doesn't take much to do so. Be not afraid of backlash because 9 times out of 10 the person in offense will back down because you spoke up.

The next thing is this – it going to sound a little crazy but do it anyway. Hold a long and meaningful talk with yourself about what you want to see change around you. Sit yourself down and think about all that affects you directly and how you want that to change AND how you can affect that change. I know when I did this – the word sacrifice came up and then I really had to ask myself some important stuff. Am I ready to sacrifice the things I want for the things I need in order for my plans to work? Meaning – am I ready to stop being a person unto myself and start putting myself out there a bit more for the people I want to help? Have this talk with yourself and when you are ready with others and still after that – go in prayer and talk to God about all of this. He listens, not only that but he delivers!

I want the next few weeks and months to be a showing of people who will not have their country go to pot. And I intend to be a light for all of those who feel like they are in the darkness. These things affect us and they can take a toll. But knowing that there is someone there that cares and is there when you need them makes it all bearable. Knowing that you are not alone, makes the journey easier and more enjoyable.

So with that I am going to end. I began this writing because I wanted to feel better and now that I've talked through some of my feelings about what is going on around me, I do. My next step will be to talk with my kids. I spoke with my son some yesterday and he wasn't a happy camper...at all. Now I need to see where my daughter is with all of this. I know she was quite nervous about it all. So much in her world is changing right now that I need to be a source of stability and comfort for her and I intend to do so. I may be back a little later. I have more writing to do today and I need to get started on it. I want to do another post about something other than our political state. Maybe just on my mental state. Maybe just on how I feel today. I may return....until then...

Do not let this get you down. And I am talking to myself as much as I am to you. Be a light and talk to God as much as possible today and tomorrow and the days after that and so on. I'm telling you he's there waiting to hear from you!

Be blessed, be of hope and be of peace. Bless you, all of you and may your lives be filled with love. And may God touch each and every last one of your hearts!

As always thanks for reading and I will see you soon.