As Hillary Clinton quoted in her beautiful Concession Speech: "Scripture tells us: Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart."
Let me tell you a bit about my own story. I have a home now. But I used to be homeless. And I truly believe that my beautiful home came about as a result of actions I took earlier in my life. Before having this house, I freely gave up my previous house to save someone's life. Looking back now, with the clarity of hindsight, I understand how it came about. My first husband was dying of cancer and had only a few months to live. We had already used up all our financial resources trying to save his life, and by selling our house we were able to send him to Mexico, where we hoped he'd be cured. But just before he died, a financial advisor visited me and cautioned me not to sell my house because it would be ours debt-free if my husband were to die! I knew that this choice over financial gain wasn't what my heart wanted. I didn't worry about being homeless or being without things at that time; I trusted in the good and it eventually worked out for me and my little girl, even through our loss.
For five years, I lived with friends and family, and then we moved into our own apartment. Then I met my second husband and another house came into view. But this was far from a walk-in-the-park nor an easy transition for us either! It came through many years of persistent hard work, patience, courage, endurance, loneliness, love and forgiveness, and trusting in God through decisions of the heart over possessions and things every time. And this habit of trusting in the good still springs to mind over any loss.
For the first 13 years of our marriage, I wanted another child. My husband was against it since he traveled so frequently. I respected his wishes without becoming disheartened, until he realized, at the age of fifty, that he indeed wanted a child of his own. Today I have a wonderful 21-year-old son, along with my beautiful 45 year-old-daughter! What I found was that some of my richest blessings came into my life after a loss. After an appropriate amount of time had passed, my experiences helped me deepen my compassion and allowed me to help resolve the conflicts around me. Through this, I learned to remain hopeful through my despair.
These days, I need to remind myself even more to trust in the common good and stretch my heart even more to help me realize that the good is still working, no matter how things might look at the moment.
So you might be wondering: What does my story have to do with blessings for the White House?
Hillary Clinton stood for the well-being of family and all the morals and values that I hold dear and fit with those same principles that I practice with my family. I was sure that, after all these years, she was the answer to my heartfelt prayer to lead America, and our families under God, something I could never reach! To me, she was the picture of hope for all of us, mothers, women, girls, children, men and boys. She became the wonderful role model that I needed and that helped me to survive. She was the wisdom of experience that I leaned on and trusted like my own mother, sister, and friend. She was my hope for all that I believed in. I was sure she was brought forward into the world to continually keep me and all of us stronger had she become our president. But today I believe God has a better plan for Hillary and for all of us who felt this way. I truly apologize to our new president, and I hope he'd forgive my ignorance for not having known more about him because I was devoted to Hillary. And I hope he understands what I learned from my own life experiences.
I truly believe that there's an even a bigger blessing to come for all us in America. Perhaps reaching the top still continues to be put on hold for some of us in exchange for something better. Now is the time to recall my past experiences of any loss, and remember how I kept hope alive by trusting in the good of people, even more when others' opinions and ideas differ greatly from mine! I hope you can remember how your disappointments often have turned into blessings for you, too, as they have for me.
Today, I ask God for this miracle that I've imagined was coming true, and trust that there is a greater plan in mind for you and for me, and for all of America to see. My hope hasn't changed for the true spirit of Hillary's life-long dedication to the well-being of families to continue to thrive and soar high above the White House and bless President-elect Donald Trump and his family. With these blessings, we all shall reap rewards if we do not lose heart.
About Catherine Nagle: Catherine grew up in Philadelphia with 16 brothers and sisters, reared by loving, old-school Italian parents. Catherine's artist father's works graced churches and public buildings; her mother was a full-time homemaker. A professional hairdresser, Catherine worked in various salons while studying the Bible and pursuing spiritual growth through courses, seminars, lectures, works of Marianne Williamson, and conferences, including the National Theology of the Body Congress. She is also an Ambassador of the Society of Emotional Intelligence. The mother of two children and now a grandmother, Catherine lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and son. She is the Author of Imprinted Wisdom and a contributor to Anne Born' These Winter Months: The Late Orphan Project Anthology.