One of my best friends and I rarely agree when it comes to politics. We both stayed up late to watch the election results. One of us was fairly happy while the other one was unsure about the future of America. We both shared our feelings and neither of us said anything disrespectful to the other. We have completely different views on just about every issue and we still love each other as much as we did the day before Election Day. It makes me think: if we can do that, why can't America? We say we're "One Nation Under God, Indivisible," but we don't always act like it.

I understand that if your candidate didn't win that it may seem like the end of the world right now and that's okay. What's not okay is stockpiling your anger so that you can hurl harsh words at those who didn't vote like you. It's also not okay for those who went to bed happy on election night to throw insults at those who didn't vote the way they did. Not only that, what does it actually fix? Much like in a game, someone wins and someone loses and there's no turning back once it's over.

America will be great no matter who is president. America will be great because of its people. However, that excellence is threatened when its people resort to hateful actions. We don't have to line up politically with every American to love them anyway, and even if love is too tall an order, we should at least settle for respect.

I would've lived in an America where Hillary Clinton was President. I will live in an America where Donald Trump is President. I don't want to live in an America where we all have to agree to unite.

Take the time to find out why others voted differently than you did. Listen to their concerns and their opinions and respect them. If you can't do that, just talk about something else. If you can't make a polite Facebook post that expresses your opinion, don't make one at all. If that tweet isn't going to be a nice one, don't send it. What would it fix or change if you did? Love and understanding will mend hearts and countries faster than any candidate will. Keep that in mind as you scroll down your newsfeed.