Warning: Political content (without influence of spiritual beliefs)

14 pounds of barking, carpet wetting, long hair topped with a bow...this was my childhood pup.  She was a friend, couch companion, walking buddy, and much much more.  But to the family friend who had a phobia of anything beginning with K and ending with 9, she was the monster in the closet.  He would cringe at her sight and hide until the coast was clear for him to pass in safety.  It never made sense to me, this pup was my childhood friend and closest companion for many years.  But to the one who viewed all dogs through the lens of fear, she was a reason to be afraid.  The difference between our family friend and our family was a simple difference in the way we viewed dogs.
Following last night's presidential election, I stumbled across a video from Stephen Colbert (host of CBS's Late Show), he hosted and event in which he planned to celebrate Hillary Clinton's inevitable victory over Donald Trump...but as the tides turned and Stephen was forced to conclude an evening where the unthinkable had happened, he made a few observations (one of which made a deep impression on me).

The image above is a statistic that I needed to hear.  This statistic has moved me with compassion and erased the indignation of my heart.
I don't believe the majority of attacks our candidates and nation has made on each other has stemmed from wanting to win, beat the enemy, or hate for another people group.  I  believe what we have witnessed has been birthed from a simple difference in the way we view the world.
In this melting pot culture we live in, there are many who view the world in a different manner than I do.  According the view one holds, he/she attempts to implement policies and practices that allow them to operate in their zone.  Simultaneously, other people are doing the very same thing.  This doesn't immediately make them the enemy, it makes us different.  I don't believe the many people groups in our country hate each other or want to defeat one another...I believe we are witnessing what I saw in my home as a child, people who are afraid.
Fear does many things to the human mind and body.  It causes us to lash out, to run away, it causes rational people to do irrational things, say things that we don't believe, and much more.  Fear is powerful and fear is real.  Our country may not be as prejudice, as hateful, or closed minded as we have been led to believe.  Our country may simply be afraid.
For this reason, I hurt for those in our country who feel as if they have lost.  For those who see the need to protest.  For the ones who think they are the winners, and those who now want to boast.  Many are weeping and worried, not because the contest is over...but because the fear is real.  
I have been caused to rethink all we have seen over the last 18 months...maybe we could all benefit in the future by thinking cleared about the past.