I just wrapped up a 45-minute endurance run. Forty-five minutes is a long ass time for someone who hates running. And while I truly hate running, it’s helped my mental health more than I can explain over the past couple of months. That’s probably a post for another day.

I do some of my best thinking on the treadmill, solving the world’s problems and all that.

When I first started this blog a couple of weeks ago, I decided I wouldn’t get political. It’s too touchy, especially in the current state of our country. But what has happened, and what continues to happen, isn’t just political. It’s about humanity.

What happened to being kind? To treating our neighbors well? The division we’re seeing feels fueled by extreme narratives, and honestly, it’s terrifying.

To give some context, I’ve never been deeply interested in politics. I grew up in a Republican household, my dad was in the Air Force, and historically, the military tended to fare better under Republican leadership. So I claimed that identity because it was familiar. I went to Oklahoma State, and being in the South, that narrative fit.

Years later, things began to shift. I became more aware of the political climate and eventually registered as an Independent. I made sure to vote, but I still didn’t follow everything closely.

Then he became president for the first time, and my attention sharpened. I couldn’t remember another president speaking so cruelly about others, mocking people with disabilities, belittling anyone who disagreed. What shocked me most wasn’t just that it was happening, but that people found it funny. Acceptable.

When Biden took office, it felt like relief. I no longer woke up wondering what outrageous or harmful thing had been said overnight. And during the last election, I stepped up in a way I never had before; researching, joining a local group, helping with calls and texts for Kamala. For the first time, I felt like I was contributing instead of watching from the sidelines.

And now, here we are.

My husband often tells me I can’t let everything affect me so deeply, but I don’t know how not to. I feel lost watching so much hatred, nationally and right here in our own community.

This is where I land on politics versus humanity.

Politics is about government structure, taxes, the economy, and policy. Republicans generally push for smaller government and more power to states and individuals. Democrats tend to support a more active government to address inequality and public welfare. These are things we should be able to debate.

What I will not debate are racism, hypocrisy, protecting abusers, or the blatant disregard for our Constitution and the people it’s meant to protect.

Take immigration. I’m not opposed to deportation when laws are followed and due process is upheld. Obama and Biden both deported more immigrants than Trump. What they didn’t do was arrest people based solely on skin color, language, or peaceful protest. They didn’t target journalists. They didn’t violate constitutional protections that generations fought to secure.

And yet, I see people laughing online about deaths, saying “FAFO,” as if exercising constitutional rights makes someone disposable. It’s horrifying.

What’s especially hard to stomach is the hypocrisy. The same people who insist that immigrants “broke the law” continue to defend a convicted felon they voted for. So which laws matter? Who decides?

From where I’m sitting, none of the promises made, lower taxes, cheaper groceries, transparency, feel like they’re being fulfilled. Meanwhile, the division deepens.

I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction lately, and it’s heartbreaking how familiar some of these patterns feel. The same fear. The same scapegoating. The same refusal to see each other as human.

My hope is simple: before your next post or comment, pause. Consider the harm your words might cause. Do a little research. Question what’s real versus what’s being fed to you.

Running has taught me that endurance isn’t about speed, it’s about staying upright when your body wants to quit. You don’t sprint a long run. You pace yourself. You breathe. You keep going, even when it’s uncomfortable.

I think humanity works the same way. We don’t need to win every argument or shout the loudest. We just need to keep choosing kindness, over and over, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.