Well, here we are.
The inauguration has passed, and whether you love him or hate him, Donald Trump is the President of the United States. So what happens now?
Here are three ideas concerning how to respond to our new president.
1. Keep living your life.
While this election cycle has seemed particularly in-your-face, seeping into every possible form of social interaction, the reality is that our lives have pretty much gone on unscathed this entire time. Even though a change in political power is notable and important, its tangible effect on our lives is probably rather limited. In fact, we should probably be grateful that this is the case. It's a consequence of the miracle that is American government—the fact that officials regularly forfeit their power according to the laws of our constitution, allowing authority to transfer legally and peacefully. It's a gift that our lives are untouched by political violence or instability. So let's go on with our business.
2. Stop hoping he fails.
As a wise professor once said to me, "Donald Trump is a clown." When I first found out that Trump was running for president, I thought it was a joke. He's not presidential, he's ridiculous. To some degree, I think we'd all like to see him utterly fail just so we could prove ourselves right and say, "See, I knew he was a clown, I knew he couldn't do it." But that attitude isn't healthy for any of us. We're all on this ship together, and if the captain fails, we're all going down. It's time to start expressing hope (and sending up a couple thousand prayers) that Trump will actually do good things for our country.
3. Choose unity over division.
Please talk about what you believe. Please express how you feel. But please stop prolonging unnecessary drama around this election. Sometimes a simple, "Thank you for your opinion," is all that needs to be said (or typed). If we choose to attack every point of view that's not ours, we will never be able to have real conversations with people. And no, a 31 comment Facebook argument isn't a real conversation. I've seen it, you've seen it, and I think we're all ready to see something different. We are the United States. It's not easy, and it will never stop being a struggle, but if we don't strive for that united spirit, then who are we as Americans? Let's choose unity for ourselves and for our nation.
So Donald Trump is the president of the United States. Okay. Keep living your life. Stop hoping he fails. And choose to seek unity instead of more division. Here's to four more years of our beloved America.
