Dear Donald Trump,

Wow, you are quite the roller coaster. We joke and fight over you, write way too many articles about you and somehow remain completely captivated by you. I would be lying if I said there was nothing we agreed upon or that you didn't fascinate me; but even more so, I would be lying if I claimed that you haven't taught me anything. So in the spirit of good faith, here is thanks where thanks is due:

Thank you for devoting your whole heart to attacking the good ones.

You say Washington is poisoned, but have you looked in the mirror? Thank you for attacking the men and women who work tirelessly to smooth over the mistakes of the dishonest and bring light to those who truly want to make our voices heard. Your insults mean that their upstanding deeds are that much more noticeable. You wanted to extinguish the good that they bring to the city, but you have only given their everyday accomplishments recognition that was long overdue.

Thank you for further turning Americans against each other.

Man, you really knew what you were doing with this one — at a time when our social issues are heightening to their most dramatic peak since the Civil Rights era, you added fuel to the fire. You got people to justify their hate for others simply because their roots are different, but more importantly, you got the divisive minds rethinking where their ethics fall and the peacemakers working to do more. Like the test of time continues to prove, departing from evil brings about understanding — thank you for simply being the evil our nation needed to understand our own unique individuals.

Thank you for motivating me to serve with a clean heart and open mind.

No matter how hard I try to be optimistic about the climate and attitudes in Washington, you force me out of such bliss every day. Through your cruel words and power-hungry ego, you've brought to light the inner demons of corruption that can come with success. I will never be able to thank you enough for making your inexcusable behavior a driving force for my future. Your all-too-common narcissistic flame will not stop after the election, but it only encourages me to face Washington with a loving heart that will help repair the wounds you are creating.

Thank you for forcing me to look for the good in others.

You gave me no choice but to uncover the positives in the candidates who I would have never even thought to consider. But thanks to you, I can find some good in all of them, from the way they speak to others to the way they don't give up despite your vicious attacks. Sure, I think their policies are near crazy — but next to your crazy, I can rest easy viewing them simply as passionate men and women looking to stand up for their vision of America.

Thank you for showing me everything I never want to be.

Sometimes my views come off as polarizing. Sometimes I forget to think before I speak. Sometimes I point my finger at others instead of myself. But you have taught me to begin consciously thinking of every person that will receive my message — because you have never once thought of others. I never want to be the leader who forgets how to nurture, motivate and say thank you to others, nor the politician who excludes and divides rather than unites the men of our country. Mostly, I never want to be the human being who is just too accomplished to continue learning. Thank you for becoming a tangible image of this to me because now I will always have your faults to keep me in check.

And lastly Mr. Trump, thank you for turning my first presidential election and the one passion I hold so near to my heart into a complete joke. Four years ago, I was watching the polls roll in anxiousness to one day have my voice heard. Eight months ago, I was staying up all night reading the policies on every new candidate with an excitement that has yet to be matched. Today, I am indifferent towards the party that has always made me proud, and I am embarrassed at the reputation our national election now holds. Thank you for breaking my heart so that the good people of this nation can repair it and my own motivation can take flight.

Best,

Your Fellow American