It's been a trivial election season, I think that's one thing we can all agree on. Not only are the candidates less than ideal as people, but many of their historical actions have been morally troublesome as well. There have been insults thrown around, offensive things said, and distasteful actions done. Many of us Americans see this and despise the fact we are left with few legitimate options to cast our vote for. Despite this fact, many of us have chosen to ignore the rhetoric and the actions of the presidential candidates and vote by party lines or vote for issues most important to us.

The fact of the matter is, people will be voting for whatever they feel most importantly about. Whether that's preserving military status quo, voting for a candidate for their criminal justice stance, or supporting a woman because you want to see the first woman president. Maybe you're voting third Green Party because you think they have the best energy policies, or for the libertarian party because you support ending the drug war. Whatever it is, I am confident that there is at least one pertinent reason of why you're supporting whoever it is you are voting for, and I can respect that, and you should too.

The point is, everyone has their reasons for their voting decisions. Many of those decisions are things that you may not agree with. As the election season drudges on, friends and family members have sadly willingly stepped out of relationships with one another due to political differences. If our love and relationships are predicated on political beliefs, then many relationships would absolutely fail. If someone is voting for a candidate you do not like, I urge you to consider respecting that choice for the sake of your relationship. You don’t have to agree with them or like their choice, but before challenging them or jumping to conclusions about why it is they are voting for a specific candidate, consider the fact that they likely have their reasons for this decision, as do you with your choice. Think about what your relationship was built around and why it is important to you before you storm off and get angry at your friend or family member for having a different opinion than you. I urge you to practice toleration for the goal of peaceful coexistence with people who hold differing views. This method will help you, not only in regards to politics but in life, whenever someone has opposing views.

This political season has been bizarre, but don't let the craziness get in between your relationships with those who are dear to you. In four years, when life moves on and the election is in the past, will it be worth it to say "I lost a friend because I didn't agree with their political stance?" Is it really worth is to hit "unfriend" instead of "unfollow" on Facebook simply because you don't agree with their posts? Trust me, this causes a lot more tensions than one would think. If the friendship is meaningful to you, then refrain from short term urges for the perseverance of a long term relationship.