STARTING NOW, LET'S GET ENGAGED not ENRAGED. Two days post-election and we're cracked open...

We are a nation divided, split, cracked, broken, chipped, fragmented and …lost. Half this country hates Donald Trump and a good portion of the other half doesn't like him much either, but it's done. He won. Yes, it’s upsetting for a million reasons but it's a Democracy. So let's shut up. And let's get to work. To do or act otherwise screams “my vote matters more than yours” and that’s simply not true, no matter how hard that pill is to swallow. There are some agonized Republicans out there who are just as weary and wary but voted for Trump not because they love him and his annoying, braggadocious tendencies. They voted for him because of the one thing that united us all: WE ALL VOTED FOR CHANGE. And boy, are we going to get it... 

But here’s the thing we need to remember: Donald Trump might be the next President but he’s not in charge. WE ARE. And somewhere along the line we forgot all about that: We, The People, are in charge of what change takes place.

…But we need to pay attention - VERY. Close. Attention. We must not get pulled off center or fall into a cycle of fear, anger, or complacency. We must not mimic the ridiculous no matter what side it comes from. If we cannot trust that our great nation and its system of checks and balances will not allow a perceived scoundrel to ruin this great nation, then we need to make certain it never will. 

Count down to 2020 begins now. We’ve got a lot of work to do. Whatever you thought your life was when you cast your vote on Election Day 2016, get ready to change your perception, because newsflash: NO person in the White House can change your life for you. From this moment forward, do the right thing – RIGHT IN YOUR VERY OWN COMMUNITY. If The Donald is an Isolationist and not in touch with things that matter to local communities, then communities need to come together. Now more than ever, it’s time to break the cycle of waiting for Washington to take the lead and make a difference. It's time to take back ownership of the future and the choices you want to take shape, right in your own back yard - and it doesn't matter what side of the fence you're on.

Stop expecting Washington and its political goo to make a difference on the ground level. Work with your local representatives, congressman and senators, your neighbors, and yes, those who voted for the opposing party. Get to know ALL of them. Make your voice heard. Listen to theirs. Be a part of a community that is cracked open: a community that protects those in need; nourishes those who are hungry; cherishes Mother Earth; assists those who are out of work; and lifts those who are broken and falling. Don’t hide behind your suburban American drapes, party lines, Facebook rants, perfect selfies and secret pantsuits.

Don’t just SPEAK UP for those whose voices are not as strong as your own. STAND UP for them. Care for others and they will care for you and one day - maybe, just maybe - we might thank The Ick’iest Man Alive for shining a light on all that we could not see, all that is gross and mean in this world, lurking, hovering there like a stealth virus. At least it’s out in the open, like a toupee-wearing dragon spewing Monsanto bi-products in our face. From now on, we know what we’re dealing with; from now on, there are no excuses not to know what we are dealing with; from now on, there are no comfy cozy American chintz cushions to fall back on; from now on, we’re on the Front Line and we’re in Free Fall; from now on, what pulls us apart has the potential to bring us together. Let’s never forget that.