Thursday, November 5th, 8:30 p.m. Seems President Biden will be taking the Helm yes?

How many Americans voted? 66% or about 150 million is my guesstimate. From what we've all been hearing on the media, many of those were mailed-in ballots, and largely Democratic. Nora O'Donnell's team and others have been reporting all along about tallies in each state as the votes cast are being counted. None cast after Nov 3rd are counted, although if they were post-marked by Nov 3rd they can be counted.

These clarifications are important for everyone to understand so confusion doesn't reign in these final hours (or days) before the official declaration can be made. Apparently, with Trump saying mailed in ballots were not the way to vote securely or that he didn't think that was a good plan, many of his supporters showed up to vote at the polls. The mailed in ballots were counted after the in person votes were cast. So that takes time as we now see is really the case.

Some poll workers were opening 3K ballots an hour! I hope we can come up with a better system in the future (fingerprint voting anyone? I know they are not easy to obtain 'clear readable prints' and who knows if the technology is up and running. Actually there are laws to help people not have their fingerprints on file, but for those willing, that may be a good thing.Yet even as I say that I happened to see a show where someone 'stole someone's thumbprint to open a secure bank system for access to funds etc.

Many such shows likely give people an idea they never would have thought ot and even though they are 'not real people but rather actors' it primes the pump for crimes at all times and places. So in terms of 'regulating viewing or actual content, that may be something to help more people keep an eye on..'

Not too much too early in life and just enough to have a clue about how the legal system, police and even politics works. We are a nation 'based on laws' which is supposed to be a good thing but which creates serious 'division and imbalances' amongh people, primarily against people with fewer means to have a basic standard of living or access to supportive and enriching programs and even a good education. As many have seen as well, the risk for people with mental illness, especially if erratic, threatening or violent, also turns into a police matter.

Without proper training and supplies, the police end up criminalizing mental illness, not subduing someone with a taser or other means of isolating an unstable person.

That is the case being discussed on the media now with the shooting of Walter Wallace,Jr of Philadelphia PA. His mother was calling out for police not to shoot while they were yelling for Mr. Wallace to put down a knife he was carrying as he was walking outside then coming toward them. Wallace, age 27 and the father of three, suffered from mental illness.

He was shot then taken to the hospital by the police but did not survive injuries to the shoulder and chest. Police fired 14 times. Protests and Black Lives Matter concerns were raised with some property destruction.

These are signs not only 'of the times' but of the many things more communities needs support addressing early on and often for people to understand ways to de-escalate matters. Perhaps more locally based support teams could be contacted to work with neighborhoods and specific cases to promote safety (removing weapons, having more supervised interactions with unbalanced people and ways to help families and friends and others be aware of situations and people that in need of help. That is a lot of what NAMI does.

That is National Alliance on Mental Illness. With many people having substance abuse issues, more help is being given to treat that as a medical condition I was hearing as well on the media today. Each step of progress needs to be celebrated and shared.

Thanks to all working in the trenches and improving the quality of justice on the benches of our courts and in all other facets of social service systems as well. Now we need to have support and good leadership in the White House as well.

Accountability and integrity of word and deed will be key to winning more support or at least cooperation from all sides.

An idea I had to day was for The Forgiveness Project...1--What would you want people to ask you to forgive them for? 2-- What would you like to ask people forgiveness for? 3-- What can we do as a country to forgive one another for in general...what was done or not done that has led to difficulties, danger, escalating tension, neglect and harm? There is plenty that needs mending and tending to on many fronts, formal and informal. All conflict is couched in human relationships on some level, even from long ago or far away.

Those are ideas from transformative mediation...and as we acknowledge and recognize that and others (as well are our own human experience in terms of the feelings, beliefs and concerns, experiences and so on, we can bridge the gaps in our 'understanding, compassion or awareness.) Putting out the fires of difference, danger and difficulty by allowing the light of common ground and concern to inform us is a growing endeavor by many.

Things may not change overnight in terms of getting everyone more willing to find 'middle ground' but with so many people weighing in on these political matters, that energy and involvement is greater than ever.  We're all on the dance floor of life and now need to learn to share that space and 'step lightly upone the earth herself' to respect the natural balance of things in meaningful ways. 

Thanks for 'showing up when it counted' and now having compassion for all involved. The people disappointed when Hillary Clinton didn't win and Donald Trump did are likely now elated the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as Democrats are taking the helm. 

Democrats can understand the extreme disappointment the Republicans likely feel with Trump's defeat. No need to gloat or make it worse, yet also hopefully no need to fear or feel a need to defend ones stance.

The world is actually a lot bigger than America. So much needs doing especially after the pause to catch up on basics for more people to learn what likely has been lost in terms of not interacting in many trades requiring manual skills as well as in classrooms and workplaces.

Let's not forget that the youth of today deserve a bright future and that older people are 'counting on them' to pitch in as many people live longer, healthier lives. We can and will figure this out together as Americans and with others from around the world  as well in our global society, particularly online with organized and natural networking.

Let's think How Good Can It Get (not just how bad can it be) when looking at these next hours and times of transtion and going into 2021 and the rest of this decade. See other posts here on Livfully.org and get inspired in a timely way. Lots of resources and inspired sharing...just when we're needing it most!