Talk about the ultimate high of watching the Chicago Cubs win their first World Series since 1908- to the ultimate low of “Election 2016.” Whatever your political views- this was an election day/week/month that will go down in history as being one of the most notorious elections of all time. I am not here to write about my own political views, or open up the floor to hear any of yours. There are plenty of social media platforms in which to do so.
The bottom line across America this week has been devastation. There has never been so much rage, palpated through computer screens, text messaging, and TV, or outright physical violence and hatred towards our fellow American. This is the land of the free- and that includes freedom to have an opinion. The freedom to believe what you want to believe. What that freedom should not entail is the freedom to belittle others by using fear. That freedom should not involve terrorizing minorities or threatening Republicans or Democrats for having an opposing beliefs to your own.
Tony was awarded the “Sister Jean Lenz Leadership Award” last spring. This award goes to the graduate student who most embodies diversity and leadership at Notre Dame. When we attended the awards dinner, he told me that he had to say the opening prayer and was nervous because he didn’t know what to say. My stomach turned into knots when he told me that. Tony grew up Catholic- he doesn’t know how to spontaneously pray! He still says “bless us, oh Lord, for these thy gifts…” before meals. I was a wreck when he got up to go to the podium. He gave me a little grin as he pulled out a folded up piece of paper with his opening prayer that he had clearly spent time on. Turd.
I was in awe as he read his words. Not only was he speaking from his heart, at the core of his belief system, but he was speaking these words on the night that he was being recognized for the embodiment of his beliefs. I could not have been prouder.
Tony referenced the Gospel of John,
“When He was gone, Jesus said, a new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The following words are Tony’s.
“Love. One. Another. No qualifications, no stipulations, no strings attached. This is the mission, to love one another. This calling extends beyond race and religion. It extends beyond gender and sexual orientation. It even extends beyond politics, although that may be pretty tough sometimes. The calling to love one another extends to those who we like the least. And that is the mission of Notre Dame, to love everyone; to make everyone feel welcomed and appreciated, both here and outside of our doors.”
These words were spoken last May, pre-Election 2016. I smiled tonight as I read “it even extends beyond politics.” What a powerful reminder, that love should be the standard by which we live our lives. In this season of thankfulness and gratitude, let’s take time to perform random acts of kindness to those who may expect it the least. Reach out to those who feel scared, devastated or lost. This was not an easy week for the majority of Americans. Let’s ease up on each other and learn to see one another in the most basic light of humanity- the glow that highlights our uniqueness and simultaneously our similarities.
