The Wednesday After

On Wednesday Morning, when the smoke settles,

                When we feel like collapsing from the emotional exhaustion

                Of a relentless barrage of “What am I supposed to believe?” and

                “Who do I trust?”

I will love you.

                No matter how different your decision was from mine

                Of if like me you had to wrestle hard through your decision.

                Without making you feel as though you need to justify your decision.

                Without standing over you with arms folded in judgement.

I will love you.

                Maybe that love will take the form of an apology.

                We’ve said some things and thought some things that weren’t fair.

                They weren’t nice.

                They weren’t ok.

                And being caught up in the moment is no excuse.

I will love you.

                See I trust you.  I believe in you.  I know you did what you thought was right.

                You were trying.

                Like me…

                To make this world a better place.

                Maybe we’ve got different ideas of what that looks like.

                Or how to get there.

                But…just know.

I will love you.

                I will love you because I care about you.

                I will love you because I believe

                LOVE is stronger than HATE.

                I will love you because I believe

                LOVE makes peace and refuses to sow the seeds of VIOLENCE.

                I will love you because I believe

                We live best crossing bridges and locking arms

                Not insulated and isolated by ideology and hostility.

I will love you.

                Because we are in this together.

                You and I. 

                No getting away from it. 

                You can try to deny ME…but you can’t deny US.

                We are wrapped up together

                In web of mutual life.

                You affect me and I affect you.

                I choose the affect…

                And it is love, embrace, compassion

                Confession, humility, and care.

I will love you.

                No matter which banner you raise.

                No matter which side of the aisle you stood.

                No matter how different we are.

                No matter what you said, or what I said/thought

                About what you said. 

I will love you.

                When the smoke clears.

                When we get up in a world that over the course of 24 hours

                Will appear different to many in our society

                Know this…

                What doesn’t change is my commitment

TO LOVE YOU. 

                Because it’s best.

                It’s strong.

                It’s important.

                It heals.

                It perseveres.

                It protects.

                AND …It HOPES!

For I am a #hopetimist who believes though the world is not as it should be, God is busy at work, making it as it ought to be.