Health security

How to survive the election, psychologically

With the election tomorrow, I believe Americans will soon confront a new level of “election stress.” 

In every other presidential election of my lifetime, the results of the contest seemed very important, but I sensed that America was bigger than any of its leaders.  A candidate losing might mean things would be less good, for a time, but they would be good, nonetheless.  Ultimately, they would tend to get better. 

This faith in America and its leaders—and in Americans—helped me and, I believe, most Americans have hope that we would find the right path, as a people and as a nation.  But, now, with our politics so polarized, and our parties embracing such different principles, I believe millions and millions of Americans will greet the election of a presidential candidate they do not favor as a sign that the country does not speak to them or for them.  And they may not have the expectation or the hope that it will, again, ever.