I was originally going to write a politically charged post, explaining why I believed this election happened, and how the results would affect the future of our nation. I was going to do that. Yet, all those who are close to me already know my opinions, and those who do not, feel free to ask me.
I was going to write that, the morning of Nov. 9. That was until I walked, with a broken knuckle, back to my residential college, and realized that there is a solution to all that is happening.
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It was around 11:55 a.m., as I walked back after trying to vent to someone who might better understand what was going on. To my dismay, she had a meeting and was not available. While I walked back, my iPhone played a song by Elvis that someone I know had sung before. This person has the ability to calm me down, and was the reason I broke my knuckle at 12:35 a.m. and not at 11:30pm. As soon as heard the song, I told her that I had an idea. To my greatest amazement and sheer joy, she had had the same idea. We weren’t going to let the election destroy us, we were to do our best to bring back a smile on this world.
She and I embarked on a crusade, small but valiant (in my opinion). We were to stand outside and offer the world free hugs — just like in those YouTube videos. At first, it was difficult to not be shy; we both knew that we would look unusual. Yet, people came. People hugged us. We realized how many people actually needed the hugs. People who otherwise looked sad and despondent suddenly smiled. I don’t know what lingered in their minds, but I truly hope that we shone even a small beacon of light in their otherwise gloomy day.
We went throughout campus, fighting the rhetoric of hate with a display of love. It didn’t matter whom they supported, we didn’t care. It was about spreading love, it was about dispelling the belief that we are a country divided. I saw people smile, I heard people say “I need this today,” I saw people feel at peace, if only for a second.
A wise man once said, “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Today, we decided that the best way to drive the hate away was to show the world there is still love. Love always wins, and will continue to win. We wanted change in the world, we fought hard to be the change we wanted to see.
Thank you to the kindest person I have ever met for proving to me that this world still has love. Without you, I sure would have looked weird. Love, not hate. Change the world, one act of random kindness at a time (Evan Almighty). May God Bless America, may we find unity, and may the love we all hold in our hearts shine on.
