As I teased yesterday on Instagram, I am still wearing my Harris/Walz bracelets. No, I am not delusional. I know that the election is over, and I know that Harris/Walz did not win. They are not going to the White House. That is something that I am processing.

However, I am still wearing them for the next few weeks at least. I honestly don’t know how long I’ll keep them on. I imagine one day I will wake up, and not reach for them, pulling them loose and sliding them onto my wrist. It won’t be today or tomorrow, or the next day.

Time will tell as it moves forward and heals.

So, why do I keep wearing them?

I want a reminder of not only what could have been, but what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and their families brought to us; what they gave us:

Hope and Joy.

Tim talked about hope in every one of his speeches. His daughter is named Hope. Everything he’s done for his family, his students, and his state has been in a hopeful, happy way.

Kamala has been full of joy since I’ve seen her debut on the political stage. She is a joyful warrior. When I hear her laugh, I can’t help but smile. When she is with citizens, when she is cooking, when she is talking about this country and our potential, she is full of joy.

Those bracelets remind me of what good can come, what could have been, but also what can be as we remember these two beautiful souls and what they gave us for a few short weeks. I also know they will continue to bring Hope and Joy to whatever they do, and I am happy to be part of their team.