Dear Friends,

"How are you doing?": Have you asked and answered that question a few times since November the 5th? I know I have. My responses have been, and still are most days, some combination of the following: "shocked/disappointed/weary/confused/heartbroken." However, now that we are about two weeks beyond that moment, I'd like to share a few words with you that are not about how I am doing. 

No, I am not going to opine about "what happened" or "why XYZ cohort voted as they did" in this most recent election; nor am I going to pretend I know "what it means" in terms of future policy or political direction in our communities and country. Reasonable questions, sure, but plenty of time for us to thoughtfully consider them without rushing to judgment.

Instead, I'm going to try to get out of my head for a moment, and share two things that I still believe in my heart:

1. Our world and our communities are better when more voices are heard: though the headwinds were strong, we were working hard to make this happen, with our pre-election letter-writing and phone-calling, While we don't control the outcome, we do control the positive energy we put out into the world, and I am grateful for your companionship in this.
2. There is more love somewhere: we UUs will keep working, in myriad ways,  for "more heaven on Earth'", for more justice, though first we may need to attend to our weariness in mind, body or spirit.  I believe we have vital listening and leadership roles to play, particularly on behalf of the marginalized, and that we will continue that struggle.

Thank you friends for the thousands of letters (and other outreach) that you sent to our fellow Americans encouraging them to have hope in our collective future and in the power of their voices!

In gratitude,

Steve Carlson, UUtheVote volunteer leader