Dear America: An Election-Day Letter from Moscow

Dear America,

While I may be thousands of miles away, my heart's with you today. You're far from flawless, but you're a part of who I am, and I love you.

Tonight I've had my eyes on a map, painted with your familiar Red and Blue. And it's beautiful. It's voices. It's passion. It's individuals. It's democracy.

But I have to say: I've been wishing for a little more white. Remember, that other random color that helps make up our Stars and Stripes? I don't believe we need passivity, but maybe a slightly larger dose of amity. Politics will never be associated with purity, but as I sit here in my beauty pageant crown contemplating world peace...(not really friends)...I'd like to blissfully believe that things could be a bit cleaner. Not just from the candidates. Or even the media. I'm not that crazy.

But maybe from "We the People."

I'm under a different Red, White, and Blue flag at the moment. And it's not one that's renowned for its upbeat relations with Old Glory. But it too holds a special place in my heart. I often find myself contemplating the differences between my two current homes and, while said differences clearly exist, more often than not I'm struck by the similarities which surface. But how can two countries with different national languages, political structures, occasionally conflicting agendas and sometimes strained relations possibly be similar? It's simple.

We are People.

I can't help but believe that around the world, at the core of our beings we are united by a common thread of humanity. And here in Moscow, exploring the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of an ever-so-foreign country, I've managed to see myself in those surrounding me. And somewhere (maybe deep, deep, deep down) I like to think they can find a part of themselves reflected in me as well.

I believe we can all own our Red or Blue with passion. Maybe pieces of both. And I believe we can do so without degrading others for differences of race, religion, political persuasion, sexual orientation, language, culture, country...the list that describes humanity is unending. Honoring ourselves and others with the basic respect and civility that all People warrant.

So---from one set of Red, White, and Blue to another---here's to America on Election Day! When the votes are cast and the results determined, I hope we can find it in ourselves to celebrate our individual Reds and Blues while standing on the middle-ground of White.