Well, election day is finally here! Soon it will all be over? I certainly hope so. This election season has been the most divisive, the most derogatory, the most inflammatory I have seen or even heard of (and I’m not exactly young).

I’m not going to talk about the campaigns or the candidates. We’ve all been bombarded from every side and every angle with plenty of that. I’ve done my part and cast my vote. Who I voted for doesn’t matter. I’m not entering into that controversy.

There has been a tremendous amount of fear, anger, and even hatred raging throughout the country this season. When we are motivated by and acting from these feelings, they feed upon themselves, becoming  more toxic and dangerous as they grow. If not stopped, crisis occurs — feuds erupt, peace ends, violence breaks out.

Tonight, one way or other, someone will be elected President of the United States. No matter who that person is, there will be many who feel wronged. There will be anger. There will be controversy. (Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we’ll all just sigh and say “Thank God that’s over! Let’s get on with life.” I hope that’s the case, but somehow I doubt that will be so.)

Whoever wins, this country remains plagued by racial tension, escalating violence, acts of terrorism, and on and on.  Fear, anger, and hatred will continue to reign.

Only we can stop this. Only we can break the cycle of fear and hate. This can only be done when we each, as individuals, choose to stop it on our own part — no matter what others are saying or doing. We may think that the problem is too big, too entangled for one person to make a difference. But, a nation is made up of individual people and if enough individual people choose a different way, miracles can and do occur.

Whatever the outcome tonight, if we each elect to have all our actions governed by love, this will be a great nation indeed.