It feels as though the very air is swirling with hysteria today. Many are panicking. What will our legislatures look like? Who will be our next President? Will we even know the results?

It’s all going to be alright.

Today should not be scary. No matter what happens, we the people hold power. That will be true tomorrow. And the day after that, and the day after that. It will remain true as long as we want it to be true. This should be comforting, and compel us to act.

The present can feel utterly paramount. We tend not to look at an event as one among many in history, but instead feel overwhelmed by its occurrence right now. Yes, this election is consequential, just like all the ones before it. But what happens after today is far more important. The fate of our country will not be determined by one person. It won’t even be determined by Congress (of which I’ve argued is more important). The fate of the United States will be determined by its citizenry. Because right now, it is the people who self-govern. We the people have the ability to choose our leadership, to dictate the nation's policies. As the country is currently constructed, with our Constitution and amendments and laws, we the people are the most powerful entity in the land.

Corporations and the military industrial complex don’t want us to realize that. They want us to think they’re in control. But they’re not. Our future is completely up to us. We must only organize, that is all. We organize, and we accomplish our wildest dreams. Because we are more similar than we are different. We do want the same things; we all want the opportunity for a good life. We hold the power to make it happen. We are citizens, not subjects.

Self-governance requires work. It’s not easy. If we wanted to be lazy, we could elect a despot and ask Congress for the corporations and military industrial complex to take over. If we didn't want to do any work, they would be more than happy to do the work for us. But we would have no control, no say in our nation’s policies. Consolidated power rules for the sole welfare of that consolidation. We must rule ourselves, for ourselves.

And we can all self-govern in 5 basic ways:

Stay informed
Discuss important issues with other citizens
Demand the policy we want from leadership officials
Volunteer in our communities
Vote for the laws and leadership that reflect our values

If we take these basic actions, the will of the people prevails.

It’s not foolhardy to brace for impact—a large swathe of the country will be unhappy tonight (or more likely, later this week). But it’s important for us to recognize that tonight is not the end, no matter the results. We can choose to see it as a beginning. We can choose to use these turbulent and polarized times as a foundation from which to work on reunification as Americans, as one people.

I feel calm. Regardless of the outcome, I know I will need to continue to show up for my country and for my people. I’ll need to express my opinions and concerns to my representatives. I’ll need to continue writing open letters to leadership. I’ll need to continue having political conversations with my compatriots. And I’ll need to keep volunteering and voting. None of this changes if Trump or Harris is elected.

The stakes may feel greater now, with the rhetoric on both sides. It’s natural and understandable to feel anxious about the possibility of what will happen. But this simply may be the calling of our times. Maybe this is our destiny. Maybe we will be defined by our actions after this election. To wilt before our reality does no good. As J.R.R. Tolkien wisely sympathizes in The Lord of the Rings, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

What will future generations say about us? “In their time, democracy was in danger. The government appeared captured. It was grim. But they stood up and ensured democracy endured. They made the world we enjoy today possible. They did what was right. I’m grateful they were strong and just and true.”

Is this what they'll say? The choice is ours.