Ever since I voted for the first time–60 some years ago–I’ve had a case of the jitters leading up to November 8. Some years, I’ve been ecstatic when my candidates of choice won. Other years, it felt like the bottom fell out of the world when they lost. And yet, life went on and the United States of America is still standing as a nation. Now, it seems obvious that what I really feared was change. Things are never quite as they were after election day. I can remember when Medicare was a hot issue. Being young at the time, it didn’t influence my vote one way or the other. But now, we’re enjoying the benefits of what was then considered a blow to American conservatives, who called it nothing but socialism. This week, we’re all feeling those pre-election jitters.
The polls build up the tension, and the media is part of the problem. Conservative newspapers and television stations tout their favorite pollsters, who predict a Republican sweep. On the other hand, liberal media gives an entirely opposite report. This morning, as I scrolled through the news feed on my i-phone, , I saw wildly different headlines. “So and So predicts a Republican sweep.” “ Democrats surging in the polls.” Back and forth across all social media. Who to believe?
The US is more divided than ever. We know that the winners will leave 50% of the voters angry. There will be charges of voter fraud, re counts, court cases and delayed results. It may be months before we know who’s really running the country.
How to calm the pre election jitters? First, turn off the television during the daytime. Don’t discuss politics at work. Start an indoor garden by planting some amaryllis bulbs. Perform random acts of kindness. Do something nice for yourself. Listen to music. Take a walk in the park. Read a good book. Meditate.
What ever happens, have faith in your fellow Americans. We’re a nation of immigrants. Resilience is in our DNA, We wouldn’t be here if our ancestors hadn’t taken the risk to leave home. . And you know what? On November 9th, we’ll still be our same old selves. We’ll have our family and friends and life will go on, just as it has for the past 247 years or so. .