No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. I didn't make a typo. I'm genuinely happy that Donald Trump won the election. However, it is not because I think he will make a good president. Hear me out, fellow democrats. I'm here to offer a different, less somber, even optimistic perspective on the one man who has managed to divide our entire nation, and I hope I can make even one person's world a little less bleak today.

Now, we all know that Trump has made racist, misogynistic, and homophobic remarks. I don't feel the need to cite these instances because they're abundant, obvious, and undeniable. What I will say is that the opinions and values of one person, even if that person is the president, don't have the power to define who we are as a country unless we allow them to. The Law of the Land itself begins with, "We the People." We are the people, our voices will be heard, and we will not allow our rights to be usurped or our country to be set back 50 years. So why am I happy that we elected someone who essentially vowed to do just that? There are two reasons:

1. It will keep us from getting too comfortable.

If Hillary had been elected, all the groups she claimed to support (immigrants, minorities, LGBTQA+, women, etc.) may have let their guard down a bit in regards to their rights. They might have assumed that she would do all the work for them and not pay close attention to the legislation being passed, forgetting that a democratic president doesn't guarantee a democratic Congress. With Trump as the president-elect, immigrants are afraid of deportation. Women are afraid of losing the rights to our own bodies. The LGBTQA+ community is afraid of being robbed of the basic human right to love. Minorities are afraid of losing the equal rights they worked so hard to obtain. People are genuinely fearful of losing the unalienable right to pursue happinessin their own life, and fear sparks passion which leads to actionbeing taken. People aren't going to sit back and trust in the president's judgement because they don't agree with his views or plans. People are going to be more active in government than ever to make sure their rights are upheld - and citizens getting involved in and obtaining knowledge about the legislation that will impact their lives is what our country has needed more of for a long time. Trump's election will inspire change.

2. It will unify us (if we let it.)

All of the energy generated from this election could be channeled in a positive way instead of the riots currently taking place. Trump has already been elected. He is going to be our next president. So we can either continue protesting the inevitable and getting nowhere, or we can unite with his supporters and at least attempt to get them to understand our perspective. Historically, nonviolence has always accomplished more than violence. Gandhi, King, and Mandela, some of the most influential people to ever live, didn't lift a finger towards anyone but instead used the power of their voices and the passion in their hearts to incite change. Utilize the strong feelings you're experiencing right now, don't waste them. We can do beautiful things with this energy. We can come together as one, share our struggles, put aside our differences, and stand up for what we believe in together. Hate and violence only breed more hate and violence, but love and acceptance make lasting positive changes every single time.

Donald Trump isn't the cause of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, or homophobia - our nation has been divided over these issues for generations. He has simply brought them to the surface and created an urgency to address them one way or another, and how we do so is totally up to us. We the people have the power to make America great again. We've been given an incredible opportunity to face some of our nation's most pressing moral dilemmas. This election was the push we needed to wake up and become fully conscious of the changes that need to be made.

So the hashtag #NotMyPresident needs to go. We can't remain in denial any longer. Whether we like it or not, Trump IS going to be our president starting January 20th. It's about time we accept that and start thinking about how we can make the most out of these next four years instead of continuing to fight the inevitable. We can't give him the satisfaction he wants by stooping to his level of immaturity. We have to show him that we're not afraid, that we're confident in our knowledge of our rights as American citizens and refuse to let him impose on them.

Are you going to spend the next four years saying #ImStillWithHer and fantasizing about what could've been, or are you going to get involved in your government, unite with your community, and move beyond the idea that one man can pull the weight of an entire nation? Just because we didn't win doesn't mean we get to give up. We can still make a difference.

So I'm a woman, I voted Democrat, yet I'm thankful that the electoral college put Donald Trump into office. And you should be, too. I foresee great changes in our country. Get ready, America.