That did not go well.

But we are still here.

Well, the election blew up in our faces, to say the least. I am sure many of us feel a wide range of emotions, from despair to burning rage. Sitting with those feelings long enough to process them as well as possible is essential. Accordingly, I will keep this week’s comments brief.

Yes, the election backfired on us.

I knew Harris's loss was possible, but I was surprised by its speed and decisiveness. Losing the popular vote by nearly 5,000,000 votes was a shock to my system.

I, too, am appalled by the result.

If you are feeling nauseated by the results, you are in good company. While none of us knows the future, the Trump presidency is almost certainly going to be an enormous shop of horrors, and the ramifications may very well reverberate for decades. We must acknowledge that the threat is real.

Nevertheless…

But a funny thing happened on the brink of disaster. My eyes opened this morning. I made cappuccino for my wife, walked my puppy, wrote my diary, etc. In other words, I discovered that I am still alive, and, despite the disappointment, so are you.

We are still here. Things may seem dire, but as long as we have life and breath, we have hope. Resistance is not futile. It will take some time, but we will regroup. New leadership will arise. New resources will become available and, when you are ready, you will rise, ready to take up the fight again.

And for my artist friends in particular, whatever your medium, I offer you the immortal words of Tony Morrison…

Nevertheless, we persist.

Until next time, peace be with you.

Ray