Lighting candles on election night.

An invitation into a sacred pause in a historic time.

Nov 05, 2024

Chuck voting with our 5 year old daughter. Something feels different this time.

“Fear is the dizziness of freedom.”

— Søren Kierkegaard

Dear fellow pilgrim,

I have been trying for some hours now to write a letter suiting this historic day and time. But I find myself scrolling through the social networks looking for something which could help ease my growing unease.

Photos of happy people with “I voted” stickers. Last analyses. Early results. A “fake Melania” story. Video snippets from the closing words of the campaigns. Did he really say this? A recipe for drinks for election night.

How are you, dear friend?

The last days I have felt the energy of change like I last felt in 1989. Back in East Germany, my place of home, when the people went to the streets to claim their freedom and to send the party of lies to the heap of history.

In my latest Letter to America, I have shared a little more of my East German perspective about the American election. So if you are wondering how to spend election night waiting for results rolling in, you can find that letter here. It calms the heart to read all the wonderful comments our community has left there. Bless you for this.

I do not have a vote in this country. Still our whole family went to the voting booth yesterday. It felt like a historic moment having our little one and me watch Chuck mark his and our choices.

And again, it moved me in a way I have not felt since a very long time.

Freedom is in the air, dear friends, the people find their voice anew.

In my last letter I have written about a reader who did not agree with me about my political opinion this election season. Yet and still, we kept talking.

We often feel like we have to convince someone to adopt our opinion, especially in an election, where there is so much at stake and the right choice seems so obvious. Thus to be reminded that democracy consists of our ability to celebrate the diversity of opinions has felt challenging at times.

But Sue, the reader, helped me with this. She wrote: I am in peace with my vote. I have discerned it prayerfully. And I will continue praying for this country.

And with that kind and prayerful commitment, she taught me something important. That all we can do for each other, on a day and in a time like this, is to welcome that someone finds peace in their decision. And let God do the rest.

low-angle photo of lightened candles — Photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash

Lighting candles on election night, or week, or however long it takes…

We do have a home altar in our house. There was a time when my husband went with our little one to light a candle there every morning. The tradition faded a little as she aged, and so I found myself lighting a candle for this day, for the history we live, and the world we live in.

And so if you are in need of some community tonight I invite you to do the same. Light a candle with us. And share your prayer here in this community of fellow pilgrims on the interior path.