Half of us want to cheer for the imminent change President-elect Donald Trump represents.
The other half feels angered, stunned or in mourning.
The reverse likely would be true if Hillary Clinton had won the way most pundits and pollsters so very incorrectly predicted she would.
But now is neither the time for gloating nor mourning if any of us truly treasure the nation in which we enjoy bountiful freedom.
In the wake of one of the most divisive election seasons on record, unity is now the panacea for healing our nation and putting the focus back on important issues at home and abroad.
Ready or not, change is coming, and not just in the Oval Office.
Hoosiers also elected a new governor Tuesday — one who demonstrated an understanding of our Region’s economic development promise and pledged not to be a stranger to Northwest Indiana.
Regionites from all points of the political spectrum owe it to our collective future to hold Republican Gov.-elect Eric Holcomb to that promise.
It takes unity and common purpose to bring about that sort of accountability. It takes a voice of advocacy for our home communities.
We can’t do it if we wallow in disgust or rudely gloat about our presidential candidate of choice winning or losing.
Hoosiers also chose a new senator in Republican Todd Young to fill a seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Dan Coats, who chose not to seek a new term.
Young overcame what some pollsters determined were long odds to defeat Democratic challenger and former Sen. Evan Bayh, whose popular name was supposed to carry the day.
As a new senator, Young needs both our support and our scrutiny as he endeavors to represent the Hoosier state in the U.S. Senate.
Indiana also will have a new superintendent for public instruction in Republican Jennifer McCormick.
McCormick has pledged bipartisanship in repairing a damaged and dysfunctional relationship between our state’s public education head and other state leaders.
She must usher in a new, yet-to-be-determined, standardized test and practices for measuring school performance.
We need to be both behind her and looking over her shoulder to ensure she accomplishes what she has promised.
Too much is at stake for us to continue the squabbling and venom that spread from prospective leaders to constituents in the 2016 election.
It’s time to dust ourselves off, shake hands and get back to the work so important to our families and our future.