The General Election has come and gone. Though some of us may not have had the result we desired, it’s imperative to remember we are all neighbors in Goshen County, all people striving for the best for our community.

It’s easy to get caught up in all of the hype of the election and politics but we must not let the outcome of an election, or politics in general, hinder our ability to move forward as neighbors in Goshen County.

I have witnessed a great deal of hatred in the past several months and it’s disgusting; people putting one another down and people treating one another as though they are allies and enemies, all within the same community.

We need to come together, as “one nation under God,” and reinvigorate the principle of being “indivisible.” Together, we are stronger and can accomplish much more.

Another concern has revealed its ugly face recently, the matter of religious freedom.

We are all free to believe as we desire. I am a Christian and am currently enrolled as a Catechumen of the Catholic Church; meaning I am learning the ways of the Catholic faith and deepening my devotion to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Though some in our community are not Christians, Catholics or otherwise, this should have no bearing on how they are treated.

Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. One must have the integrity to maintain dignity and respect of themselves and others, find common ground in the most difficult places, work together and do what one can do to make our community and the world a better place.

What are dignity and respect? Dignity and respect are two core moral values which are grounded in being kind, caring, fair, forgiving and empathetic.

Respect is most often shown through actions and speech but can also be shown when one’s value and worth are signified or dignified.

How can one show dignity and respect? To show dignity and respect, one must treat others with care, compassion, empathy, integrity, truthfulness, forgiveness and fairness. Though we will never agree on everything, we can still show dignity and respect while disagreeing.

Take a moment to hear what people have to say. One can learn a great deal from what others have to say or how they feel about a situation. Each and every person has a different background and life experience. We can use these varying backgrounds and life experiences to come to the best conclusions for the community.

With the elections over, we must again learn to work together. We must treat each other and our elected officials with dignity and respect. Our job as constituents is not to be hypercritical bullies. Rather, we are here to help them, guide them and support them.

We are going to disagree with some of the decisions made by elected officials, but we must speak with them, have a conversation, share our viewpoint and hear theirs. If those elected are not informed of our will, they will not be able to vote in accordance with what works best for everyone.

Let’s get back to being neighbors, share discussions over a cup of coffee and let the hatred cease. Let us all work together because all of us matter.