I was certain — certain — Trump could not get elected. Such appalling errors in judgment, have in the past, launched me into crisis where I questioned my views on everything; after all, if one of my certainties was in error, why not another, or all? Alas, I’m in no mood for crisis, for doubt, or fear, there shall be enough of that without mine.

I feel for people who have turned to Trump as their savior. I empathize with their plight: a culture that has rapidly moved away from what’s familiar to them; they’ve suffered too, as we all have, in the emerging oligarchy; and they’ve been constantly demeaned ridiculed and mocked — in popular culture, in the traditional and social media, and by family, friends and community members. Now they’ve made their Faustian bargain.

Some lessons people choose to learn the hard way, and it will be very hard.

I don’t know how long it will take for the negatives of this bargain to trickle down to our little community. And in that community, where I’m so small, how much longer to affect me? I know, it’s not about me, and that’s something I wish people had remembered when they went to the polls — to vote for the common good, not selfish interest.

But there is an enormous amount of good out there. There are a lot of kind and courageous people, of all ethnicities, religions, sexual identities and beliefs; whom I must believe will still rule the day, and whose children will live the dream.

Winter’s coming, but one thing we know on the coast — it’s rained before.

M. Alex “Sasha” Miller

Astoria