Why ‘Moments’ Is the Word of the Year
Memories Beto and I will share to remind our kids the campaign was worth it
On election night, hours after we learned we had lost our race for Senate in Texas, I tucked my 12-year-old son, Ulysses, into bed. He asked me a tough question: Had the past two years, which he described as the hardest of his life, all been for nothing?
In 2016, as Beto and I watched Donald Trump win the election, it was abundantly clear that we could not sit on the sidelines and accept the trajectory of our country, allowing fear, incivility, and lies to prevail. We wanted to be a part of something bold, aspirational, and inclusive. With only the guidance of close friends and family, we seized the moment, and Beto jumped into the race for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
The next two years were tough. With Beto in D.C. or driving to all corners of Texas, I would be a single parent for most of that time. The solitude was draining. Apart from the logistical headache of our children’s busy schedules, I felt overwhelmed by the emotional roller coaster they went through — the sadness of not seeing their dad, questioning why he would rather be campaigning than at home with his family, and the fear of how the election’s outcome would impact their lives. I felt constantly torn between being there for our kids at home…
