I hope you are doing all right. I know many of you are grieving. You are grieving Kamala Harris’ loss. You are grieving the loss of a future that might have been. You are grieving, perhaps, your idea of America. 

Take your time. There’s no hurry. 

You need to feel those feelings.

Then, when you’re done, think about what you want to do.

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I don’t know what’s going to happen. No one does. But in that space where we can’t know the future, we can find a reason to hope. 

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It isn’t pretending problems don’t exist or if they do, they’ll go away on their own. It isn’t a pretext for escapism. 

Hope is a practical necessity. We need hope the way we need air and water, which is to say, living a human life isn’t possible without it.

The question about the future of our country isn’t whether it’s going to get dark. The question is how dark and how fast. That’s why I’m writing today. There will be moments that seem completely hopeless, as if there’s no point in trying to move forward together as a democracy.

But in that dark hour, I hope you will remember that you are stronger than you realize. You do have the courage to find the hope within.

That’s the title of the following poem written by Nicolee Grant. She’s a poet and novelist who lives in New England. I played a minor role in editing a recent collection. After Tuesday’s loss, I remembered the wisdom of this poem. It is published here with her kind permission. 

The Courage to Find Hope Within

By Nicolee Grant

I keep thinking 
About these words: 
‘Abandon hope all ye 
who enter here’. 

I saw them somewhere.

I am transfixed by one word. 
‘Hope’. 

It plays over and over 
In my mind.

I see glares. I see hatred. 
I see fear. I see abuse.
I see cruelty.
I see indifference 
In light of suffering.

Yet still, I hope.

I don’t want to abandon hope. 
It is all I have.
It is what tells me
Today will be better 
And if not,
Then maybe tomorrow. 

So, despite the glares, 
I stare straight 
Forward and smile.

Despite fear and hatred, 
I will pray for the 
Courage to love. 

Despite abuse,
I will be a conqueror. 

Despite cruelty,
I will welcome
And wilfully surround 
Myself with kindness.

Despite indifference,
I will hold hope
Close to my bosom

For it is hope
That makes me know

Our blinders can be removed.