I’m feeling unusually optimistic as I write this. It’s the eve of Election Day, and you’d think by now I would have learned my lesson. Although, here I am, cautiously excited about what could happen.
I’m most interested in local elections, the ones that impact our daily lives the most. I’m between homes and election districts this cycle so I can’t vote this time, but I’ll be ready for any run-off races. I hope you’ve done your research and cast your ballot.
It’s not just Orlando’s City Commissioner races I’m watching. There are key races in Virginia and New Jersey for their governors, New York City’s mayoral contest, and a California proposition that could redraw congressional boundaries. They may not be local, but they’re signals of where our nation’s pulse might be headed.
Will the electorate show support for the first year of Trump’s second and final term, or will they rally for change and push back against the current political trajectory?
See, there’s that optimism again, “Trump’s second and final term.” I phrase it that way because a third term wouldn’t really be a third term at all; it would be the end of the Constitution and the start of something far removed from what we were founded on.
Still, I’m hopeful that the voice of change will prevail, that the tide will begin to turn and restore the system of checks and balances our country has depended on for centuries. Debate and counterpoints are what make us thrive. I’m ready for a little sanity to return to the national conversation.
Maybe this newfound optimism is what makes me feeling festive so early. Normally, I don’t reach this level of holiday spirit until mid-December, but this year I’m already there.
It probably started on Halloween night. My husband and I made our signature iced sugar cookies. My nephew was coming to visit that weekend — he loves our cookies — and I’d been promising my barber for a year that I’d bring him some, so it felt like the perfect time.
There’s something about baking those cookies together that fills me with joy. Add kids in costumes begging for candy and it’s a recipe for happiness.
Because we have dogs, we set out a bowl of candy instead of answering the door. Our Ring camera notifies us when someone approaches, so we huddle around our roommates’ phone to see what the kids are wearing. It’s silly and simple, but it’s one of those small moments that makes you feel connected.
Even the teenagers gave me hope this year. A big group came by, each one taking just a few pieces of candy. No one tried to dump the whole bowl. Maybe it’s a small thing, but it felt like a sign that the universe is signaling a shift toward good.
It’s been a busy season, and that’s helped my mood too. With our St. Pete house officially sold, our garage conversion in Orlando is underway to create a new primary suite, a much-needed space for both of us to breathe and feel settled.
I’ve lined up some amazing shows: “Water for Elephants” at the Dr. Phillips Center, “Kimberly Akimbo” at the Straz Center, David Archuleta at EPCOT and “Sunday in the Park with George” with Central Florida Vocal Arts. The Center’s queer arts festival, QFest, will feature two screenings of our documentary “Greetings From Queertown: Orlando,” which still fills me with pride every time I see it.
Then there’s the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, a highlight every year that is worth every penny. I’ll wrap up the month with Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens before heading to New Paltz, New York, for Thanksgiving with family.
And that’s just November. December kicks off with Watermark Out News’ holiday dinner with our staff and loved ones, followed by a birthday trip for my husband that includes two Broadway shows — “Chess” and “Ragtime” — and then, of course, Christmas.
It’s a full calendar, but that’s what makes me happiest: community, celebration and the people I love most.
So yes, maybe it’s naïve, but I’m choosing hope this season. Hope in our politics, our people and even our teenage trick-or-treaters. There’s still good out there if you’re willing to look for it.
The world feels heavy, and it’s easy to spiral into cynicism. But maybe, just maybe, things are shifting. The elections, the small acts of kindness and the shared moments of joy all feel like signals that change is possible.
Great times ahead, with great friends and family. How could I be anything but hopeful?
Stay visible, stay strong and support each other.
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