Friday thoughts---defeat

So we didn't win.  After 10 weeks of very hard work, our school bond issue failed.  It was a very hard night, and past couple of days have been rough.  I find comfort in knowing I did absolutely everything I could.  I look back and wouldn't change anything.  My goal was to lead a hard working and positive campaign, and we did that.  I can face anyone in my community with my head held high because I have nothing to be ashamed of.  I never said or did anything that I regret or am ashamed of for this campaign.  Defeat is hard.  It just is.  But we get back up and move forward.  Tuesday night while I was waiting for election results Miss E had her first 7th grade middle school basketball game. They got killed--9 to 50.  I couldn't be there for it, and saw her after.  When I asked her how she did, she said, "Good!  Well, we played well, but we got killed 9 to 50."  I was impressed that she said "Good" as her first response.  She knew she did her best, and she was proud of that despite the outcome.  That was a good reminder for me a little later when the voting results came in.  We did good.  We did our best despite the fact the outcome was not what we wanted, we still did our best and that was all we could do.  I tell my kids that all the time, "Just do your best.  That is all you can do." So I need to remember that lesson also.

This campaign was way more than I bargained for.  I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.  Politics are not my thing.  I was on the TV news, did radio commercials, and in the newspaper way more that I ever want to be.  I saw a very ugly side of some people that I didn't know was there, but then I met and worked with people that are absolutely amazing and will continue to bless my life.  The biggest blessing was meeting new friends and working with others that I didn't know as well, but now I definitely can call friends.  There are sad, scary, rude, thoughtless people in this world.  There just are, but there are also so many amazing people--people that care, that love, that work hard, that are dedicated. Those were the people I was blessed to meet and work with.

I am sure sometime in the future we will do this again, because we just have to.  Our kids need new schools.  So, until then I will appreciate the experience, learn from it, enjoy the great new people I now call friends and move forward with faith.  Our Heavenly Father is over all.  He has a plan.  I just need to trust Him and do my best.  Thanks for you love, prayers, and support!