The recent 
Presidential election has certainly been the most contentious in our lifetimes. Our nation endured a steady stream of vitriol, hate, and even an assassination attempt on one candidate. People on all sides, it seems fair to say, were angry and stressed.
This was the backdrop that began an uplifting conversation at a meeting of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps just a few days after the election. Our IVC Regional Director used this consequential election for extended reflection.
I shared my own sentiments by recalling that immediately after the results were announced, I received a few emails. “Terry, how are you?” “Are you ok?” A few minutes later a friend called and shouted, “Terry, how can you be so casual? We cannot accept their moral equivalency. They are evil and will destroy our democracy!” She began sobbing. Though my candidate lost, I replied, “I feel fine. Today is still a great day. I got up at my usual 6 AM, did Duolingo, drank my coffee, answered emails, read the paper, and had breakfast. I went to the park for my exercise……. the sun is shining and best of all, my granddaughter is recovering from a brief hospital stay.”
I urged my friends to channel their emotions into something positive that might make them feel better. That same evening, less than 24 hours after the election was called, my sobbing friend called with a cheerful greeting. Whoa, what happened? I asked. She deployed her own self-care techniques. She ate her own healthy breakfast, stayed away from any discussion of politics, went to the gym, finished Wordle, and made plans for a family weekend.
There is no doubt that self-care offers huge emotional, mental and physical dividends. According to the National Institutes of Health, self-care activities can help lower stress, manage the risk of illness (including heart disease), and increase a positive outlook. Other studies show that volunteering and going beyond one’s comfort zone to help others has a salutary effect on our own well-being. My IVC colleagues can attest to this. Matthew 25 with its message to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the unhoused, is a powerful North Star for all of us. One visiting Jesuit priest, Father Brian Strassburger, observed, “I have no loyalty to any political party or person. My loyalty is to Jesus Christ.” Here at IVC we try to practice that loyalty by our own involvement in countless social justice initiatives like Thrive for Life, Reconnect, Cabrini Medical Center, America Media, and the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding.
Our discussion and honest dialogue at that IVC meeting was met with sharing of ideas, greater listening and understanding. Painful for some but a wonderful learning experience for all. I recalled my own learning experience a long time ago from a wise professor that if we only talk to people who think like us, we are comforted. When we talk with people who do not think like us, we grow.
Time for all of us to listen and grow. Only then can we bridge the gaps within our nation. We open our hearts and minds to listen to others in a spirit of love and joy. So what self-care tips bring you joy? When you answer that question, DO MORE. And enjoy the joy that awaits you!
By Terry Quinn, IVC NY/Metro