It’s Election Day in American and I find myself unexpectedly at the airport, waiting on a flight to take me closer to my family.
I was debating with myself the past few days whether or not I would write or post anything today.
Just yesterday, I was planning in my head a stirring essay on why you should vote and why I believe you should vote for my candidate.
But I’m fairly certain most of you reading this have already made your decision. I’m sure many of you have already voted, or perhaps you are even standing in line right now to cast your vote. I’m sure all of you know just how important this election is for our democracy and our world.
So what could I possibly say of value today that you haven’t already heard a million times over?
Here’s what I can offer.
Sometimes insights emerge from unexpected juxtapositions… when aspects of life that we usually keep safely separate in our minds are thrust together unexpectedly, forcing us to view our lives and our world in new, often challenging, ways.
This is precisely what I’m feeling right now as I sit here in this airport.
A family member I love very much is in the hospital right now. There are many hopeful signs about his status, but he’s not out of the woods yet… and there’s likely going to be a long road of recovery (physical, emotional, and spiritual) for him and our family.
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see an airport television broadcasting CNN with election updates. The talk is all about potential paths to Electoral College victory, the uncertainty around early voting and when all ballots will be counted, the unpredictability of how some citizens (and even some candidates) will react to the outcome. We will watch a peaceful democratic process unfold, or will our streets descend into riot and chaos?
As I prepare to board my flight, I feel as if I am literally flying into the unknown.
I have absolutely no idea what tomorrow will hold, for my family or my country.
Today is ripe with uncertainty and none of us know what will happen.
But then this thought came to me…
This is exactly what I’ve been training for.
For all of us who do the inner work of growth and spiritual practice… for all of us who do the outer work of activism and service….
This is the moment we have all been training for.
This is the day when we choose to walk courageously into the unknown.
This is the day when we choose to show up in the world with integrity, honesty, and fierce compassion.
This is the day when we choose to stand up for what is right and to heal the wounds of this world, whether we find them in our own hearts, in our families, or in our politics.
This is a time for heroes, who throughout all times and places have bravely faced the unknown – both within and without.
They are calling me to board my flight now. Soon I’ll be lifting off into a future I cannot predict in any way. But I feel prepared, deep in my soul, to face whatever may come.
Take heart, my friends, and have courage.
This is what we’ve trained for.
I’ll see you on the other side.