There will be Peace in the Valley
Some of us woke up this morning in mourning. Especially those of us who belong to religious, ethnic or sexual minorities. Last night, America proved the messiness of its “democracy,” politics and media.
When I look around myself today considering how things progressed this past election season, I become very despondent about the state of the world we live in.
It’s as if we are regressing back into the shackles of our past. It’s as if we have forgotten the Native American and African American struggle. It’s as if we have not learned lessons from our history (perhaps so because history has been incorrectly written) and thrown the Civil Rights Movement behind our backs. It’s as if things that were once inappropriate to say and condone are openly being said and surprisingly, also welcomed and embraced.
As an immigrant who could not vote this year due to my (lack of) citizenship status; I am angered and saddened simultaneously when I see able-bodied, intellectual US citizens around me who either didn’t care about voting yesterday because they thought their vote did not matter, or got swallowed by the bigotry and hate by choosing their voting rights to Make America Hell Again.
This morning when I woke up, I was too sick to even show up to school. But Elvis Presley’s Peace in the Valley was stuck in my head. Perhaps God (or the universe) was showing me a sign.
I guess I now understand why people hold onto faith. Faith gives you hope for things to change. For them to become better. For justice to be served. For there to be peace. In the world. Or the next. For all of us.
It is comforting to hold on to that faith. At least today.
‘“Enter it in peace and safety!” and We shall remove any bitterness from their hearts: [they will be like] brothers (and sisters), sitting on couches, face to face.’ — Qur’an 15:46–47
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