Moving forward

Pastor Julianne DiRocco Smith

Yesterday was our nation’s 2024 General Election. It might have been the most watched election in our country’s history. There were a lot of moving parts. I know when I went to bed last night, I was hoping to wake up to news that we elected a woman as president, and that Sherrod Brown was re-elected as one of Ohio’s senators. Neither hope came to fruition. One piece of good news, locally, was that the renewal levy for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County passed. But even that was a challenge.

I’ve read some of the comments on Facebook and ‘X.’ What concerns me is how distraught folks are. Not that some shouldn’t be. A former parishioner of mine is a transgender man. He was feeling vulnerable before the election, and now he wonders if he will be safe. From other comments I’ve heard and seen, he has every right to be worried. A colleague is concerned that their choices for medical care will now be limited. They also have reason to be concerned.

A post by a black woman said white women let them down. Immigrants are worried about their futures. Others are worried about reproductive rights. The list goes on.

At the same time, there are others who are thrilled with our election results. They can hardly wait for the exchange of power. They see the future as bright. I’m struggling to see it that way. While very little should change for me, I worry about those who are on the edges. What’s going to happen to them?

Still, it’s done.

How do we move forward? As a person of faith, and a Christian, I believe that God is still in charge, and Jesus is still Lord. This is where I begin. I begin by praying for a peaceful transition, and for kindness and love to win out. I pray for those who are most vulnerable, and most affected will have the support they need to live. I pray for truth and justice to prevail. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us all to do our best for God’s best to happen.

Furthermore, we all need to take a step back and look at the larger picture. Look are the global picture. Look at the Middle East, Ukraine and Russia, and wherever there is violence forcing people out of their homes and into refugee camps. Look at the drug cartels and the poverty inflicted upon others. Let’s ask ourselves what we can do for others.

If we are going to move forward with hope, we need to remember the hopeless. We need to reach out to those who are in need in a self-less manner, worrying less about ourselves, and more about others. As a nation, can we join together so we are moving together in the same direction? As individuals, can we reach out to each other and find ways to work together for the betterment of all?

In order to move forward we have to stop looking backwards. And we do not have the luxury to sit around paralyzed by fear. Instead, let us take a moment to breathe, and to reflect. Then let’s move forward, one step at a time. If we stumble or trip, or even fall back, let’s hold onto one another in love. Together, we can do this.