My Most Beautiful Words

Respect. Love. Decency. Kindness. These are words that everyone expects to be considered beautiful, but with a country in turmoil and an American people more divided than they have ever been, these words seem lost. I would argue that today one word rises above the rest with its strength, poignancy, and elegance. It is simple, only four letters, and is arguably what put President Obama in the White House: hope. It’s that thing with the feathers and it sits at the very top of my own personal list of most beautiful words. 

Everyone could use a little hope in his or her life - hope for equality, hope for progress, hope for peace. I have hope that this election will make this country stronger, that this country will not only survive the next four years but continue to advance and progress, and that my generation will make a difference in future elections. Belief closely follows hope on the list. We need to believe in ourselves, in our family, friends and neighbors, and although it may seem impossible to some of use right now, in our new leader. The past few days have been hard for everyone, regardless of political affiliations. Flags are being burned, hate crimes are surging, and there is an overwhelming sense of fear. I will be honest, this election did not yield the results I personally wanted and I have been incredibly angry. While I worry that we have lost sight of what our country represents, I have not lost belief in the possibility of progress. United comes next. We are one country, quite literally the United States of America, and we must remain together. We can only make progress by being united.

 I know it is a scary time for the world, but when we stand strong together the sky is the limit. Yes, that glass ceiling is still there, but by having hope for progress, belief in our country, and remaining united, I am confident, whether it’s four, eight, twelve, or sixteen years from now, shattered will be added to my list of most beautiful words.