Last week was the Trump v Clinton election, and since this is the Joy Inventory I won't go into a lot of detail about how Trump's victory affected a lot of people I care about. However, one small but important joy is my friend Andrew. He and I are pretty different politically, but we have been good friends for years now. We don't talk that often but when we do it's always as if it has been no time at all.
Early the morning after the election he messaged me to ask if I wanted to talk. We had an hour and a half phone call about how such a surprise result happened. Specifically he was interested in my POV, as a white conservative woman, about why so many people voted for Trump. We ended up swearing and laughing and commiserating, and it was really cathartic. And Andrew said he felt what I had to say helped him better understand and empathize with people who voted differently than he would have.
That meant a lot to me. First, it's always nice when people seek out your opinion, especially people you admire. Second, it's very encouraging when people show genuine, non-aggressive curiosity about perspectives other than their own. Third, it's a good feeling to be able to comfort or encourage a friend. And fourth, all of that meant a particular lot to me in the wake of a FB newsfeed filled with anger and miscommunication and unfair accusations. If everyone approached understanding one another the way Andrew just did, the world would be so much better for it.
So I felt like that conversation was a little example of hope right in the middle of a pretty difficult week, and I don't want to forget it.
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