At wedding ceremonies, traditionally, an usher would ask each arriving attendee if they were there for the bride or the groom. ‘Which side are you on?’ Then they would escort them to the appropriate side of the room, filled with friends and family. All there to witness and celebrate the love of a couple.

I have family and friends who voted for a republican president. I have family and friends who voted for a democratic president. I have family and friends who opted not to vote at all.

Those who voted for Trump care about their families, their homes, and their neighborhoods. They worry about the security of their loved ones. They are concerned about their finances, rights and freedoms. They voted for the future they wish to see. They have more faith in the republican’s agenda.

Those who voted for Harris care about their families, their homes, and their neighborhoods. They worry about the security of their loved ones. They are concerned about their finances, rights and freedoms. They voted for the future they wish to see. They have more faith in the democrat’s agenda.

Those who chose not to vote care about their families, their homes, and their neighborhoods. They worry about the security of their loved ones. They are concerned about their finances, rights and freedoms. They may or may not have faith in either agenda.

My American friends and family all care about the same things. But they all care in different ways, because of their varied life experiences and mindsets.

They are all Americans who care about the future of their families and this country. Deep down, the concerns are all the same. The motivating factors: safety, comfort, empathy, fear, anxiety, hope… are also the same, but vary from issue to issue.

They each care more deeply about some issues than others. More passionately about the ones that affect them directly. And most intently about the ones they are exposed to and impacted by, repeatedly, on a daily basis, in their actual lives, or through outside sources, like news and social media.

Those outside sources and forces make it easier for us to separate ourselves, close ourselves off, and point fingers at each other. It becomes easier to feel attacked and to retaliate, than to receive with open minds and hearts so that we might soften and grow. It becomes easier to build walls around ourselves, than to open doors, or build bridges.

But now, right now, while everything is fresh, while all of the feelings are raw, right now before the debris of the campaign tornado is cleared away, and we return to normal life, is the perfect time to work together, to speak to eachother, to understand eachother, so that we might rebuild. And rebuild better.

Right now is the perfect time, to really realize, that while we may feel like separate groups of people, on different sides of an aisle, we are all in the same building.

We are all here to witness and celebrate a love of this country. Friends and family.