Looking at my Facebook newsfeed, I am horrified. I am ashamed. I am heartbroken and uncomfortable and sad. No, these are not my feelings towards the election. As much as I dislike Donald Trump as our next president and empathize with our country and the people who will be most affected by this presidency, I am feeling this towards the friends on my Facebook list. Those that choose to bring even more hatred into their lives by throwing away any opinion thrown at them that is not their own.

Yes, what is happening in our country needs to be talked about. People should be angry. We are in desperate times where the fabric of our country could very well unravel underneath us. That being said, this is an opportunity. An opportunity for America to come together and show those against love and unity and equality what a strong, powerful, fair society looks like.

I have heard many people the day after the election ask, “what am I going to tell my daughter/son when they wake up?” As a teacher, bringing up the youth in America, this is what I choose to say to my students. Humans are extraordinary. Everything that you do is a thread in someone’s life. Your actions, whether those are what you say to someone, do to someone, or make someone feel, grow your thread longer and longer. Those connections are important. Now is not the time to spread hate. Donald Trump is our next president. It is not something I am proud to say and it is not something I am proud to tell my fourth graders. What I am proud to say is that we live in a country where we can make educated decisions to make change.

So this time, we did not do that. Studies showed how few educated millennials actually voted for Donald Trump. This brings hope to the next generation. Do not spit hate at those who are not tolerable. Instead, show what’s truly good about you on the inside. Grow from this experience. Learn from it. Exercise your rights. Yes, you still have rights. Get involved. Be kind. I have faith in humanity. History does repeat itself. That, unfortunately, may be a bad thing right now. Americans got themselves to this point of progression before, we will get ourselves back. Fighting hate with hate will only bring more hate. Please be kind, be humble, and be truthful. Every day is a blessing in this land of the free. Change is near. Our little ones are the future. Teach them love, teach them respect, teach them to be tolerable and teach them passion. They will reward us, in the end.