A Lesson in Humility

After Tuesday’s election results, I was thrown into a toxic depression.  While I’m not registered for either major political party, I was so excited to finally have a woman POTUS.  What would it mean for the advancement of women’s rights to have the leader of a world superpower be a woman?  The implications were exciting and powerful.

But all those hopes vanished in an instant when I awoke Wednesday morning to the incredible news that Donald Trump had clinched the Presidency.  I cried, I lashed out at friends and family who supported Trump and I developed a 3-day case of Tourette Syndrome.  My mind, actions and words were a far cry from the peaceful and loving yoga lifestyle I strive for.

On Friday morning, I went to my studio and checked the mail.  Surprisingly, I found a hand-addressed envelope – not just a another bill!  I opened it to find a beautiful coloring of Humble Warrior from the Warriors Coloring Book submitted by Miss Michele Palumbo of Bay Shore, NY.  I was floored.

I am a strong believer in the idea that the Universe (or God, Providence, the Great Spirit, the Higher Self, or whatever you choose to call this phenomenon) teaches us spiritual lessons through the unfolding of Life’s events.  I was in a funk and a rage over something I had no control over.  I was feeling like a passionate warrior, ready to fight for the environment, human rights the cause of the voiceless (children & animals) and every other cause I perceived was now under threat.  But I needed to calm down, and the Universe called upon Miss Palumbo to deliver this message to me.

In humility, I now understand that it was the will of the American people to have Mr. Trump as our President, and as my President.  I have to accept that people who voted for Mr. Trump – my mother, cousin and brother included – all had their reasons for voting as they did.  Am I right and are they wrong?  They wanted to “shake things up.”  They wanted a citizen, a businessman, running the show, not another career politician. 

And so it is with grace that I must humbly accept the decision of the people.  This is what makes our country great and I must respect it.  I learned a valuable lesson in the aftermath of my grief.  I must humbly open my heart to all of life’s lessons, especially the painful ones.  It’s easy to live righteously and make good decisions when everything is going my way.  It’s what I do when things don’t go as planned that makes a real difference.

I hope that I learn from this experience.  I hope I do better next time, that I stop, grieve, breathe, meditate, do yoga and handle the adversity in a constructive, loving, humble and generous way.