I am sorry to hear of your loss, I want you to know that I am here for you should you need to vent, reflect, recant or express yourself in other ways that may help soothe and even your loss. I am also here with a few tips and pointers to keep in mind through this, your time of immense dissapointment and general dissillusionment. It is my hope and prayer that you will soon pick yourself up and move on in a more positive direction and increased vigor to fight for what you believe is right and ultimately come to a place where you are strong and able enough to exercise once more, your well deserved constitutional right to vote.
1. It is not your fault. You did what you could so don't beat yourself down or feel you didn't campaign or support Kerry enough, you did all you could.
2. You have four more years to educate people and hopefully you don't have to do much of that as sometimes bad things and decisions rear their ugly heads and manifest themselves soon enough, given time.
3. Remember what's important and that's what you stand for. Hold on to your values and your convictions, winning is not important if hearts or actions are not cooperating with what the mouth says. Words, over time are fleeting but strong convictions, beliefs and perseverance are foundations that formed great countries like America, they are what fledgling countries(mine included), covet, desire to see realized.
4. Count your blessings. I know the future looks bleak and basically terrifying especially for those who have family members at war. But don't let "these" days pass you by, don't spend all your time imagining the seemingly inevitable. Spend time with family, enjoy them, love them, hug your kids, remind your kids about peace, flowers and pretty thing. Introduce other colors (other than red and blue) to them. Cherish the moments, cease the day, whatever cliche makes your day...use it!
5. Though you may not have the upper hand, you can still make Bush listen, he can't ignore a good over 40% of the country he rules! Write him, tell him you want want your husbands back from war! Call him, picket him, nag him...and if it doesn't work, you did your part and sometimes that's all that counts. Imagine how many thousands of slaves stood up to their masters in isolated incidences that ultimately accumulated to a big fat price of freedom for their grandchildren? How many Anne Franks fought to survive against the Nazis in Amazing ways so you could learn about these atrocities performed in WW2? Insert your favorite historical moment that changed history here.
6. "Don't let the sun go down on your anger." That one emotion that costs you a lot more than it does you any good. Left to fester, it may lead you to do things that may compromise your intergrity.
7. There is more to life than the elections. Mull over it, review it, rant, rave, fume, cry, anger over it blog on it, and then get up, make some coffee, clean the house, go gardening, pick up the kids and get on with life! The whole point anyway is to make life a little better right? Well if that plan didn't work, what other plans can YOU implement to enrich your life? Read something, travel, take up a class, learn Judo, create a little happiness to drown this ridiculous dissapointment that unfortunately can't be overturned!
8. Bask in the "athlete's" afterglow of having done the best you could and humbly accept what has happened.
From one on the outside looking in, JU Kerry supporters, hats off to you! You fought the good fight and well you lost BUT you were heard and heads were turned, let's hope some change will come. My nieces are American so I care a little and was with you, though invisibly. I hope this cheers you up a little, if not, please feel free to steal the idea or form some kind of post elections epithet for your emotional salvation!