Rally Behind Kindness

Today is November 9, 2016.  It is the day after the American election, the one that will put Donald Trump into office.

Kindness is the LAST THING I feel today.  I feel anger.  Sadness.  Dismay.  Frustration.  Disbelief.  Fear.  Disgust.  Grief.

I keep getting messages telling me (and the rest of the country) to "Breathe".  "Spread Kindness."  "Go High."  "Unify."  But I cannot do those things, not now.  For now, I must cry.  Cry for a country that chose hate over love, bigotry over acceptance, and divisiveness over unity.  

But through my tears I will tell you about a Kindness Activist who made a difference for me this week.  I don't know his name, I don't know his story, but I know I was thankful to him and I know he was kind.

This is him with me (snapped after the rally).

Do you see how much bigger than me he is??  I am 5'2" and he had to be 6'something".   He was smack dab in front of me at the Tim Kaine rally we attended on election eve.  We were way back in the line to get in, so by the time we got through security the place was pretty well packed, and our spots were not great, but made much worse by this large man.  We figured at least we could HEAR Joe Biden and Tim Kaine speak, even if our view was blocked.  

But shortly after Joe began his amazing speech, this man turned around, saw me, and gestured "Would you like to get in front of me?".  I hadn't asked.  I don't even know how he knew I was behind him.  But he offered, and I accepted.  I giggled a little, "Are you sure you will be able to see over me?" and took my place in front of him.

Joe Biden, Vice President

Tim Kaine, who I believed at the time would be the next Vice President

Granted, my view still wasn't great (note to the old man in the sweatshirt jacket: if you attend a public event and everyone wants to take photos, please don't bring a huge tablet with a cover that you hold open and block everyone behind you's view for a very long time...).  But I COULD see a bit, and holding my camera up every once in a while I could see better (David said he used my camera as his "view" from behind my big friend every time I held it up, too).

We will miss you, Joe.

Thanks kind stranger who let me move in front of you.  Your gesture meant a lot.  Not only did it make my experience at the rally a little bit better, but thinking about it today reminds me that kindness still exists in our country.

We vote on the side of kindness

#KindnessActivist

#TeamPantsuit

#ImWithHer 

This is Joanne.  I met her at the rally.  She is 80 years old and a has been a member of a
Hillary Clinton fan Club since Bill Clinton was in office.  Needless to say, I liked Joanne.

I swung by to visit the White House the afternoon of the election (while wearing my pantsuit of course).
I truly believed that highest of glass ceilings was going to be shattered last night.