After the Election

 I have been too depressed to even talk about the election for the last several days.  Luckily I scheduled my Christmas leather work post article to post ahead of time, because it would not have been there if it was up to me.  I feel like I'm finally coming out of shock a little bit.  My brain literally feels bruised, though, trying to understand what just happened.

First, I made the mistake of getting my hopes up.  After the last election I gave up politics for several years and just focused on making my home a happy place and teaching my children correct principles.  (still trying...) But as the election got closer I found myself becoming not just Anti-Obama, but very much Pro-Romney.  I just felt like anyone who could take a beating day after day in the media, and still smile, and still be focused on real issues, and still be so adorable with his wife, had to be inspired and blessed.  I really, really liked what I was seeing.  I imagined in my mind that we could have another Carter/Reagan election - that the people would see goodness, and vote for it, and we could enjoy prosperity again.

So... I went to bed Tuesday night very sad, but still with a twinge of hope.  Mr. Bechtel left for Japan early Wednesday morning and I had to take him to the airport, so we were up early.  I ran down to his office where he was checking the polls and he shook his head sadly at me.  I walked around in a daze the rest of the day, really.  I mean, I went about my daily activities, but my brain refused to accept the awful reality.  And my phone was totally silent.  No one called me.  I imagine we were probably all walking around in deep sadness.

  

On Thursday I finally started thinking through the why's and what it meant.  I could only come up with two possible solutions.  1.  The election was rigged.  or 2.  People really are terribly wicked.  (Obviously I'm not a news pundit, these are pretty basic and non intellectual solutions.)  And really, I wish it was the first, but even if it was... the fact still remains that for the first time ever people voted to accept gay marriage, they voted for marijuana, wherever I looked there seemed to be more evidence of stupidity.  I am still struggling with this.  It is one thing to discuss "the last days" or to read about them in scripture - exciting even - but I am not enjoying the way it tastes in real life.  It's depressing and terrible.

And I have to admit that I am angry about it.  I was thinking today that this is probably why President Monson told us all in Conference last time to do christian acts of service.  He was probably talking to me, because really I don't want to do any service for people that are taking away my liberty.  I want to punch them in the nose.  

Winesap said one of his friends posted nothing but a scripture reference on his facebook page:  "Mosiah 29:27  My first thought was, "When the wicked rule, the righteous mourn." 

I have lots of other thoughts running around in my mind too, but nothing cohesive, just lots of questions and a hope that we can maintain our freedom.  And that The Election of our Lifetime was a BIG disappointment!