I’m sitting in my garden, crying. Absolutely devastated.

I went to bed early last night, fully expecting love to trump hate in this election.

I woke up finding out it didn’t.

So now I’m sitting here with a big lump in my throat, watching the sunrise, holding my belly. Praying for our future.

It is important that you know this: misogyny did not win last night. Sexism did not win last night. Racism did not win last night. Hatred did not win last night.

What happened is: fear won. Briefly. A whole lot of people voted out of fear yesterday. Fear of not being safe. Fear of not being able to care for their families. Fear of the unknown.

Deep down, not a single person voted out of hatred. People don’t vote to harm others; they are far too self-concerned for that. People vote for what they believe genuinely lies in their best interest. And right now there is enough fear out there to spur an entire switch of politics and power.

Fear won. Hate did not.

Why is this important? Because it’s our job now to help humanity turn fear into love. It’s up to us.

Now is not the time to lash out at Trump supporters, at third party voters, at the media or at whoever you blame for this election. Now is not the time to complain, or panic, or escape.

Now is the time to love.

It is up to us now to love even harder than we ever have before. To find in our hearts what we wish had been reflected in the voting booths yesterday and to reflect it out into the world. To not despair, but to believe.

Hate has trumped love—but only for a moment. This is not the end. It’s a beginning.

This moment is an integral part of the grand masterpiece that is this tapestry of life. It feels like a loss, but it’s not permanent. Just a sharp unexpected turn on our path toward oneness.

We will do better now. We will love harder now. We will fight with a stronger purpose now.

The sun is rising and it’s a new day. So forgive. Acknowledge the fear that lies beneath it all and forgive.

But first… We yoga. Get on your mats and cry it out. Release. Punch something. Shake it off. Then: back to love.

No matter where you are or how you voted, you have never been less alone.

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Mindful bonus from Waylon & elephant community, today:

Relephant bonus:

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Author: Rachel Brathen

Image: Ecofolks/Instagram

Editor: Katarina Tavčar