(Author's Note: Below was written the day after the Election Day (Nov. 8, 2016) and submitted online to Res Spears, editor of the award-winning city newspaper, Suffolk News-Herald, for possible consideration-publication.)
Now that Election 2016 is over, let's pause for a moment to compose ourselves, breathe normally, have hope, and look forward to the future, and count our blessings. Thank God, we're alive and well...we made it through.
Congratulations, America, for having a newly-elected president and vice-president in the persons of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, respectively! May God bless US always!
Former First lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, has been trying to break the glass ceiling to be the first U.S. female president in history, inspiring the young female population with her intelligence and political experiences. But the soon-to-be 45th president of the United States, billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, emerged victorious, defying all polls, projections, and pundits, with his kind of rhetorics and bravado during the presidential campaign.
"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president of all Americans, and that is important to me," said Trump during his victory speech. "It's time for us to come together as one people."
Clinton, in her concession speech, mentioned about the rule of law and hoped Donald Trump would be a successful president. She was sorry for not winning and urged her allies, especially the young female Americans, "to never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it."
To those in the IT (Information Technology) industry and in the media, especially those who covered the election, and election officials and volunteers, kudos and keep up the great work of sharing your expertise and skills, helping others to become informed, involved, responsible, productive and participatory.
Personally, I congratulate all the political candidates, their families and campaign crew and staff, and volunteers who worked tirelessly during the election campaign season.
Yes, the most awkward, colorful, controversial, divisive, dramatic presidential election in the United States history is over and done.
Winners and losers, for the majority part, were already known, proclaimed, congratulated or have conceded, respectively. We have new and incumbent leaders who can be excellent and successful public servants. Some were newly-elected while others reelected, like our incumbent Suffolk mayor Linda Johnson.
We, the people, have spoken, with our voice, through our safeguarded votes. Now, it's time to move on...
Like one of the Catholic bloggers, Rev. Fr. Austin, I frequently follow or read, with his daily prayer posted on his blog, I do pray for "one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all."
Lord, I pray and meditate for unity for all of US, irrespective of who we are, what we look like, we believe in, we do in life (as long as we don't break the laws of the land and those of our Almighty God) for the sake of the United States and our world.
One of Fr. Austin's prayers, years ago, that caught my attention and I'd like to share it with you is this: "Lord, help us remember that neither winning or losing excuses us from your command that we love one another with peace in our hearts and kindness in our speech...If I am in the winner's camp, Lord, keep me from being proud and haughty, snide and snarky...If I stand with the losing side today, Lord, keep me from being mean-spirited and bitter, from any self-indulgent spite...In the quiet of my prayer, Lord, humble my pride, tame any anger, strengthen my resolve and deepen my faith and trust in You...Send your Spirit of peace to reign in our hearts and help us work together, Lord, to serve the needs of all..."Amen, I say it loud and clear! May God bless us always! And God bless the United States of America.
Now, we can have all the time to rethink and ponder at what's good for our country and for the world. Let's all work together responsibly, non-partisan aside, with the winners, with God's abundant and amazing grace and blessings, to do what needs to be done in order to rebuild, recover, and make our country great again, and to work together towards a safer, peaceful world we live in.
-Chris A. Quilpa, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, lives in Suffolk. Email him at chris.a.quilpa@gmail.com.
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