Bear with me, as I just have to get a few things off my chest.

Even though I’ve never put my two cents into the conversation doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion or that I’m uneducated on the topic. I am a registered independent and share beliefs with both parties, so let’s just get one thing straight: I’m not here to bash anybody.

I’ve been having trouble coming up with a topic to write about as my mind, emotions and judgement are all clouded by the series of events that have played out this past week and the weeks leading up to this election.

If anything, this election has opened up my eyes to the kind of people I surround myself with on a regular basis and the kind of people that are floating around my social media news feeds—and how much they differ.

I didn’t unfriend you because you’re a Republican. I didn’t unfriend you because you voted for Trump. I did unfriend you because of the way you presented yourself and your stance on issues. If you were disrespectful? Boy (or girl) bye.

Hell, my best friend from college is a registered Republican and she’s still my best friend. Did she vote for Trump? I have no idea. Am I upset she voted for Trump (if she did)? Yeah, a little. But I know she still stands by me. And I now know who doesn’t.

At the end of the day, I’m still mad. I’m still upset. I am downright hurt. In the seven years that I’ve thoroughly understood the way our government and politics work, I have never doubted the system. Sure there were decisions I didn’t agree with, but I never once felt like my life was threatened and I now know many people who do.

So this is me telling you that I am legitimately scared for myself and a lot of the people that I love. But let me just say it one more time for the people in the back—I’m mad and I am scared.

I’m mad that your need for tax cuts is more important to you than a woman’s right to her own body.

I’m mad that your need to carry a gun everywhere you go is more important to you than letting someone love whoever the hell they want to love.

I’m mad that you willingly supported a grown ass man who repeatedly made vulgar, racist, sexist, misogynistic comments and never claimed responsibility for his own actions.

I’m mad that you willingly supported a vice presidential candidate who advocated for conversion therapy. If you don’t know what that is, google it.

I’m mad. I’m emotional. I’m angry as all hell.

But that’s it. It ends there. We move forward.

It’s my right to be mad and it’s your right to choose one of the above over the other. And I’m not mad in a way that I’m attacking you, threatening you or bashing you. I don't even hate you. It’s just my opinion vs. yours.

And I’m not mad at you for exercising your right to vote for who you want. I’m not mad you’re a Republican. I’m not mad if you’re an independent or a Democrat. I’m just mad that the progress I’ve been so lucky to witness could be washed away in a blink of an eye and that you think it’s okay to bash people for being scared or upset over it. Our feelings are just as real and valid as your need to vote for certain issues over others.

From here on out, I hope we can agree to disagree in a respectful manner. Who knows, maybe we'll even agree at one point.

I just wanted to let you know that if you love me, I am scared. I’m scared as all hell and probably not even making sense at this point.

I’m also praying to God that Trump surprises us all and does great things, even if I disagree with some of those things.

And I wanted to let you know that if you’re scared, I'm here to stand with you. I’m here to support you, to challenge issues with you and to fight for you. I’m a safe place and you are always welcome here.

Whether you’re black, white, brown, blue, yellow, green, if you wear a hijab, if you have disabilities, whatever your religion or even if you don’t believe in God, if you’re a man and love men or if you’re a woman and love women. Even if you’re a Republican who is thrilled but simultaneously shitting your pants in regret (or even if you’re not), I stand with you.

Not in front of you, but also not behind you.

We’ve got to make it through these next four years side-by-side whether we all like it or not. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I am saying it’s going to be easier together.

P.S. If you don’t like the way I present myself on social media or if you dislike this article, please feel free to return to my Facebook or Twitter page. There you have the ability to unfriend or unfollow me instead of leaving rude comments which will only clog up my notifications. If you feel I misrepresented anything in this article, please feel free to direct message me where we can have a conversation like adults without the input of others. Thank you in advance.