Election aftermath

To say a mix of emotions has taken over our beloved mother land would be an understatement. It is undeniable, however, that after a win by an overwhelming majority, the Filipino people have spoken. Our 17th president has been elected, and so has our vice-president, senators, representatives and local government leaders. If there is anything that elections 2022 reminded me of, and flashed before my very eyes, it is how much a showcase of values and upbringing it was more than anything. Among friends, and even family, not everyone chose to settle, or agree to disagree.

But now that all is set and done, and the winners have emerged, we must remember that everyone feels differently – while some are celebrating triumphant wins, others are grieving. Some are shell shocked, and others are in the midst of processing their emotions. Whatever the case may be, people’s true colors and characters are now being exposed more than ever. Perhaps some have a harder time accepting the results of a democracy versus others, but whatever the case may be, no matter what boat we find ourselves in, we must try our best to exercise empathy, compassion, patience and understanding.

We must exercise empathy, and make an effort to see the different perspectives and points of view of people. We must espouse respect – to our newly elected leaders, and to each other – because the decisions have been made, and whether we like it or not, it is our new reality. We must practice compassion because everyone’s feelings are valid, and everyone’s emotions stem, and are rooted from a different place. People are reacting in a multitude of ways simply because all have lived a different life, and have different stories to tell and share.

We all have different experiences that have shaped us to become the person that we are today, and some of those experiences are more ingrained with the country’s history, than others. Lastly, we must extend our patience, and our understanding. As good citizens, it is our responsibility to be kind to others and accept their feelings. The world is round – you will never know when you too will need a helping hand, or a shoulder to cry on.

So as we move forward towards the future, regardless of which side we fought on, and for, let us try our very best not to let our emotions get the better of us, and overwhelm us. In the same way that we must also do our best to process our feelings as we go forth to realize our new reality. Let us not condemn the sentiments of others, nor should we gloat and glorify our own. In a world where we can be anything, let us choose to be kind.

We must exercise empathy, and make an effort to see the different perspectives and points of view of people.