If you’re like me, you’ve had it up to here with all the election noise clogging the ether. Vote for my guy. Your guy is a crook. Take down your lawn signs “or else.” No one has to define “or else.”

This may the most divisive election in the modern era. I don’t remember one where voters were so polarized. Civil discourse has lost to shouted arguments, parroting talking points from television news, and apparent interference with false news reports from outside influencers.

Social media awash with persona attacks. Friends unfriending friends. Family unfriending that one loud mouth who won’t stop telling you you’re stupid to like your guy.

I’m sick of it. I want the election to end. And then I think about those who voted for “the other guy.” Yes, we all have an “other guy,” the one we didn’t support, the one we can’t understand why anyone liked him. I feel compassion. That’s right, compassion.

A large percentage of voters are going to be in deep despair immediately after the election. Their candidate(s) lost. They don’t know why. They may be angry. They may be sad. Mostly, they may be utterly exhausted. 

And this is why I’m calling for compassion. Each of us has been on the losing side. Each of us has been on the winning side. It does not behoove us to dance in the streets and taunt the supporters of the losing side. It behooves us to understand these people are hurting. We can and must extend a bit of compassion, a helping hand, a kind word and a smile. 

This is a time we must take the first step toward healing the rifts in our country. Even when the last vote has been counted, we still have to grapple with coronavirus, incredibly high unemployment, racial unrest, the climate, poverty and hunger.

The election isn’t going to solve any of these problems. We can and should use it to take a deep breath, figure out our next steps on each of these, and get busy. Without the election sucking the oxygen out of the room, we can find something positive to fill the void.

I hope you voted. If you didn’t, then we will get the president we deserve.