Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Dear Hillary -

It is 2am on November 10, 2016 and I just stood in my 8 year-old daughter's room and watched her sleep. I envy her the innocence of that fathomless, sweaty sleep only children can attain. It is one of the few things left of her innocence to envy - for, as of today, she has been introduced to a societal culture I had assumed she would only learn in history books.

I mourn the loss of your leadership example for my daughter over the next four years, but I want you to know how much you have already taught me that I can share with her. That defeat does not diminish the effort you made. That everyone counts. That life can be cruelly unfair but that does not give you the right to be cruel. That we are all imperfect. That civility is worth maintaining. That to be considered, you must show up again and again and again.

I know you must be exhausted. And angry. Heaven knows I am angry - so very angry.

I'll tell you though, I am taking this personally. This is my child that is being impacted. This is her future that is being limited. These are her friends that are being maligned. These are her freedoms that are being curtailed. This is not the country we have brought her up to know. My voice in her ear must be loudest. My actions must be her clearest example. My future must be to ensure hers.

We asked so much of you. We asked you to be the embodiment of every woman's hopes and dreams and become the first female President. We asked you to turn the tide against hatred and bigotry and racism, on behalf of men and women, and safeguard our country's citizenry. You gave us so much. Now it is our turn to pick up the mantle and organize and regroup and regain.

I should try to get some sleep. In our house, we have been encouraging my daughter to embrace the mantra "tomorrow is a new day to start fresh" when things go wrong. So here I go.

Your devoted fan,

Katharine


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