I'm angry. I'm trying not to be. I'm also lost. I'm concerned. I'm feeling out of touch. I'm a little hurt.

I try not to get caught up in the World. Inevitably, I seem to always do exactly that. This past political year has surely taken a toll on my heart. Many people that I admired-- now I'm not so sure. I've unfollowed and unfriended countless people for their hateful posts. I don't hate them at all, but I can't stand seeing those types of messages on my timeline.

I believe that is what bothers me most; these people that I truly thought the best of let me down. And maybe I let them down in some way, too.

With this election, I truly held to what I believed was right. I grasped for compassion and love. Yet, the places I most expected to find it, it was nowhere to be found.

I cannot see how others don't understand how some of us couldn't support the candidate they chose. I cannot see how they don't comprehend why people are so torn about the decisions that were made. I don't see how people can just say, "Get over it." And I'm not going to sit here and point out every time each one of you didn't get over it (and how I had to listen to it for eight years).

The situation is incredibly different this time. I'm dumbfounded that a year ago today I didn't even think this was even remotely possible.

Growing up, I despised politics. I still do. They rip people apart. I never quite understood why, until this election. Politics bring out the worst in some of us; we bare our teeth. I don't want it to be that way. No matter who you voted for, I love you still. I'm going to still show you compassion. I'm not going to sit here and call you names (even though I'm probably guilty of doing it earlier in the election). I'd appreciate it if you would do the same. I know you may believe many of us are "crybabies" and "special snowflakes" and need a "safe space" but isn't name-calling a little hypocritical?

We're not babies (and no, I don't approve of the violent rioting). We're a group of people wondering what happened to compassion? What happened to love?

I pray for our nation. I pray for our president. I pray for love.