How did we get here?

Against my better judgment, I made a small comment on a politically related facebook post yesterday. I haven't made comments previously; I don't know why I didn't listen to that little voice telling me not to do it this time, but what's done is done.   In response to my rather simple comment that in essence stated that neither the views of Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton fit what I wanted for America-I was called a part of the ignorant masses...apparently unwittingly spewing the conservative conspiracy theories.  The response to my comment came from a complete stranger-someone I have never met, probably will never meet...someone who knows not one thing about me as a human being, and yet, because I don't share the same opinion, knows that I must be ignorant and brain-washed by the corrupt conservatives of the world out to get us all.  And this, my friends, is what is wrong with America today.

That little response on social media got me thinking about how every one of us is special and unique. We all have our own stories and our own experiences that have shaped who we are today.  My story started in a small town with two parents who were hard working and taught me the same values.  We weren't rich, but we had all we needed in life.  They did what all parents are ultimately supposed to do.  They raised two children who became kind, hard-working, responsible adults.

I graduated from high school in that small town with plans to go out and conquer the world.  I was going to college and I was going to do great things with my life...but at 18 and just a few weeks before starting college,  I found out I was pregnant.  That was certainly not part of the plan for my life, but as scared as I was, I didn't stop to think about what I was supposed to do and without telling my parents, I went off to college as a pregnant teen from a small town with no real experience in the world- because I was supposed to go to college...and nothing was going to stop me.

That first few months at school I was almost a normal college kid, except I was struggling with the decision of how to handle my pregnancy-there were options and I had to figure out the best one for me.  Through morning sickness and heartburn and feeling the baby kick for the first time, I also had work and classes and studying.  Oh the fun life of a college freshman.  And then, on the first day of the Spring term my freshman year, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  A week later I was back in class...my dad took a week off from work to drive me to my classes and to take care of Nicol while I was in class.  My parents, her dad and his parents were all great during that term, helping care for her while I finished school for the year.

When I came back for my sophomore year, we moved into family housing.  Her dad and I were now both at MSU and raising a daughter together.  For the next 3 years, I worked 29 hours a week, went to school full-time, studied and took care of a baby.  I didn't ask for handouts, I never used medicaid or food stamps...I worked hard and sacrificed.  And in four years, plus one additional Summer term to complete my internship, I graduated with my BA with a 2.95 GPA...not too shabby if you ask me and for many years my biggest accomplishment.

We made many other sacrifices over the years as we raised our daughter to be a kind-hearted, strong-willed, independent-minded, free-thinker not afraid to be who she wanted to be.  I think we raised her well. She is a college graduate herself, having graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky.  She is now off shaping young minds as she teaches reading comprehension to elementary school children.

Now that we've successfully done our jobs as her parents and sent her off into the world to contribute in a positive way to society, I have time to do so many other things.  I volunteer my time to animal rescue. I volunteer at food banks and as a meals-on-wheels driver.  I occasionally buy a meal for the homeless guy who stands on the corner near my office.  I give both my time and money to charities that I feel are important.  I believe that I am pretty fortunate...I am not rich by any means, but I have enough to take care of my basic needs and more.  So I am happy to help others who are not as fortunate.  I believe that the best society is the one where we help each other.

This is my story so far...it is who I am.  I just think that maybe if we seek to understand where others have been and how they have gotten to this point in their lives, it could help us heal as a nation.

I know so many good people who voted for Donald Trump and so many good people that voted for Hillary Clinton...and several good people who voted for neither.  I know that ultimately they all want nothing more than what is best for our country.  There is just so much negativity in this world today. No one wants to listen to the opinions of anyone else, they just want to jump immediately to name calling and hatefulness the minute they believe that someone has a differing opinion.  There are so many people who are claiming to be tolerant of differences who are in fact the most intolerant...they are so angered that someone disagrees with them that they don't take the time to listen and understand.  I hope that we can change this and begin to heal as a nation.