If you have ever called me kind, thank you.

If you have ever told me I have a huge, gentle heart, thank you.

If you have ever told me I have a sweet spirit, thank you.

It’s been a brutal election cycle and it’s taken its toll on many of us.

I’ve wished I was less kind – sometimes I wanted to be mean and ignore my filters to respond in kind to the hateful discourse I’ve witnessed. At times, I wished my heart was hard so it would hurt less and the pieces wouldn’t fall apart on the floor. I’ve found myself wondering how I would feel if I could be more like the bitter, hateful people who spout their rhetoric without regard to those they are speaking about, or their families, or their friends, or the universe.

I’ve found myself pondering those individuals who are so certain they are right, and seemingly believe all who disagree with them are wrong and going to hell. I’ve shaken my head at the malicious discourse happening among candidates, in our media and among family and friends.

I was particularly saddened when I read a facebook post talking about the power of our words with a warning that we need to be careful how we talk because there are always consequences – especially to those we target with our words. Our words can harm the spirit and the soul. I’ve always believed words as powerful as our actions. In this meaningful, thoughtful post, I thought, finally, someone was making some sense and offering a kinder, gentler direction for our dialogues. Then, I read posts written before and after this post where the author maliciously targeted those disagreeing with their partisan beliefs, utilizing horrible name calling and disrespectful comments that I wouldn’t want any child to read. Scratch that, I wouldn’t want any person on the planet reading these hateful comments.

I’m baffled that the differences that have made our nation unique and great, are now tearing families apart, tearing friends apart and are erasing any shred of compassion we might have ever had.

Today, I’m letting go of any inkling that I ever had to become anything more or less than I am … kind, gentlehearted and sweet. This is how I know how to be, this is how I want to be, and I will embrace it hoping that I can change the world.

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