My dad is goofy, strict, awfully dressed, secretly sensitive, and surprisingly wise. During a family political conversation a few months ago, my conservative uncle was trying to explain his point of view on an issue to a car full of strong Hillary supporters (my mom and I). My very moderate, in the middle dad responded by saying "tolerance is the understanding of every perspective and accepting all of them for what they are". He said "none of us are really tolerant". This made me think.

Liberal voters seem to feel that they are accepting of many people whether it be through their compassion for the poor, welcoming of immigrants, or advocacy for national healthcare. I understand that there is a pride felt by being accepting and tolerant by those who oppose Donald Trump's protectionist point of view. I feel this sense of pride often as I drive home from my job helping under privileged children with homework. The fulfillment one gets from showing compassion like this is not exclusively positive. Sometimes this pride gets ugly when people feel they are superior to the opposite political party due to their point of view.

I see it in the media, on Instagram, and at my own dinner table; People who help others, people who oppose Donald Trump, and people who consider themselves socially liberal many times vilify and fiercely oppose those who do not consider themselves liberal. This leads to a cycle of vicious intolerance.

I grew up with three people who were my closest and longest friends. I still am very good friends with them today. One is my neighbor, one my best friend from school, and one my own flesh and blood -- my cousin. The people closest to me were all raised by Republicans to eat, sleep, and breathe the conservative agenda. I spent sleepless nights as a 12-year-old grappling with the fact that I was taught by my parents to believe things that were and still are opposite to what my friends believe. Over the years I have had play ground debates then high school lunchroom conversations then college party screaming matches about political policy, social ills, and, in general, how my friends and I thought the world should work. Sometimes these conversations with friends led to an awkward day at school, but most times, these debates were soon forgotten and my friends and I remained unscathed and semi-amused by our disagreements.

I am 20 now and I better understand what needs to be done in order for rifts among people to lead to tolerance and friendship instead of further conflict, pride, and superiority complexes. No matter which name was ticked off on your ballot this past November, we, the American people, need to not only be accepting of those in need, but also of those of us we do not understand. For America as a whole, we need to not see ourselves as a divided America, but take the time to understand why opinions across this country vary so much. Why people believe what they believe. And how we can still grow and learn from each other through these disagreements.

Honestly, it's almost springtime. It's March. To all of my Democrats, it's time to shake the bitterness, pain, and hatred we have been feeling and move on together.

As former President Obama said so beautifully in 2004, "For alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga, a belief that we are all connected as one people....there's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America."

I think President Obama would agree that tolerance, especially in this polarizing time, needs to be #1 on the American peoples' priority lists in order to continue as a country of love, happiness, and progress. President Obama's and my father's ideas need to infiltrate all political and social conversations in all forums (including the car on the ride to dinner). This will serve to dissolve a certain natural reaction to be defensive, prideful, and uncooperative.

I still have great Republican friends who voted for Donald Trump because I seek to always understand their perspective instead of dismissing it. I do not believe I am better or worse than them because of what I believe or where I stand politically. I know there is a place for all of our opinions in this nation.

I am not perfect. I still feel twinges of pain when I read the CNN headlines and fear for the future. I do not understand President Trump and I don't know if I ever will, but it is healthier and worthwhile to try. Striving for tolerance helps me to not be afraid and to continue to believe in the "more perfect union" which I call home.