Thank You Madame Secretary

As protests happen around the country tonight, some with small pockets of violence erupting, I instead sat in my local Starbucks, ear buds in, and participated on a call with Hillary Rodham Clinton thanking me and her many supporters.

She spoke with dignity and class.

In her words:

It's been a rough few days. Take some time for yourself now. Walk your dogs. Breathe.

I hope when you are ready you will regroup and continue the cause. Because the causes that brought you all together are just as important now as ever.

She reminded us that we are on our way to winning the popular vote, and that "speaks volumes".

But still, it's been an unsettling few days for me. I live in an area where I am the democratic minority. I have very few local friends to talk to about the election.

My Facebook feed is filled with gloating, examples of hate crimes across the country and all kinds of divisive behavior. I've tried to take a social media break from a lot of it.

I know these next few months, and the next four years, are uncertain. I take solace in knowing that I voted my conscience. And I now have a new and better understanding of the need to be an informed voter and to vote in not just the big election, but in the midterm elections as well.

I think this experience has awakened a desire in me to become more politically active in the future.