longer.blue

Happiness is a state of mind, something deeply personal and uniquely shaped by our thoughts, experiences, and how we choose to process the world around us. It’s a profound concept, often seen as an internal journey rather than an external circumstance. For me, though, since November 4th, my state of mind has been anything but peaceful. Instead, it’s been a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and a deep yearning for clarity amidst the chaos currently consuming America. The election and its aftermath have left me grappling with the unsettling question: how is it that so many people, knowing what we collectively experienced during the first term of Donald Trump, could still choose to put him back in power? The aftermath of his presidency was not only marked by political strife but by a staggering erosion of truth and trust. It was a time when lies were told repeatedly and accepted as facts, a time when divisiveness was stoked with alarming frequency. And yet, despite all of this, there was a large segment of the population that not only forgave these transgressions but seemed to rally behind them with greater fervor. It’s hard for me to comprehend how someone could ignore the consequences of his first term—the insurrection, the dismantling of norms, the disregard for science, and the repeated disregard for the American people in favor of political gains. The psychological and emotional toll of watching the country I love descend further into discord and instability has been heavy. But what baffles me more is the ongoing willingness of people to ignore, justify, or even defend his behavior and the outcome of his leadership. For them, it seems that the promises he made—whether regarding economic prosperity or a sense of nationalism—hold more weight than the very fabric of democracy itself. I cannot help but wonder: where did the lines blur? How did the line between truth and falsehood become so thin for so many? How did we get to the point where, instead of common ground, people seem more inclined to dig into their ideological trenches, hardened and unwilling to listen? This division, fueled by misinformation and a failure to see the human cost of all this chaos, feels suffocating. As someone who has always believed in the power of informed, compassionate decision-making, it’s incredibly difficult to come to terms with how this has become a reality. Ultimately, happiness is a state of mind. But in moments like these, when the world feels like it's spinning out of control, it’s challenging to find peace within yourself. It’s hard to not be consumed by the overwhelming sense of injustice, confusion, and helplessness that surrounds us. But I know that, no matter how chaotic things seem, we cannot let that cloud our ability to think critically, to seek truth, and to advocate for a better future for everyone, regardless of political ideology. It is, after all, these very actions that will lead us to a world where peace—both internal and external—is possible.