What’s next?

Today, the world feels dark. We asked the question, “What kind of nation do we want to become?” and we received an answer that has shattered our souls.

And in this terrifying moment, I wanted to share what I discovered in my 8-year-long divorce from a narcissist that is absolutely relevant today.

Fear and sadness are paralyzing. They know this, and they will use it to their strategic advantage.

So have a good long cry and then gather yourself up. Find your righteous anger and channel it into something far bigger than yourself.

This is where your power lies, and it’s how you create meaning from unimaginable loss.

We will fight because we must. We have work to do—work that is now more important than it’s ever been. And when we pause to look around, we’ll see good people walking alongside us, lifting each other up in a million and one ways.

Trust in that.

I’d like to part with a few words from writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit that someone shared with me this morning. I hope you find strength in them as I did.

“They want you to feel powerless and surrender and let them trample everything and you are not going to let them. You are not giving up, and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.

“You may need to grieve or scream or take time off, but you have a role no matter what, and right now good friends and good principles are worth gathering in. Remember what you love. Remember what loves you. Remember in this tide of hate what love is.

“A lot of us are going to come under direct attack, and a lot of us are going to resist by building solidarity and sanctuary. Gather up your resources, the metaphysical ones that are heart and soul and care, as well as the practical ones.

“People kept the faith in the dictatorships of South America in the 1970s and 1980s, in the East Bloc countries and the USSR. There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it's sunny or raining.

“Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed.”

We’ve suffered a devastating loss today—but not all is lost when we surround ourselves with good people and do good work.