I recently ran my first half marathon for Lifeline. I completed it in 2 hours and 17 minutes. You know what’s harder than running a half marathon? Stop snacking, and watching Trump win.

Honestly though, I think we all saw it coming, but we didn’t want to believe it. If I am a cynic, I would say that compassion is dead. Brexit, Trump, what’s next? 2017 German election may well fall into the hands of far-right Alternative for Germany. Meanwhile, back at home, MPs are debating whether asylum seekers who arrive by boat should be banned from ever applying for Australian visas. Is compassion dead?

I don’t believe so.

I don’t believe compassion is dead, because I see it every day in every customer of Oz Fair Trade, in every random act of kindness, in every charity event, and in every person that I have met.

Rather than blaming the people who voted for Brexit or for Trump, or getting all gloomy and doomy, how about we try to understand them? If they had job security and decent minimum wages, would they have rejected immigration?

“Beneath the shouting, there’s suffering. Beneath the anger, fear. Beneath the threats, broken hearts. Start there and we might get somewhere.” – Parker Palmer

If Democrats had a more inspiring presidential candidate, would the outcome have been different? If Washington had not been ruled by bankers and elites, would ordinary working Americans have be less change-hungry? If the US electoral system had been different, would a third party have won?

Some may call Trump win a “disaster”. I think what’s really worrying is not what one man can do but what division can do to humanity.

“Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness” – Chinese proverb

We can all keep alight the candle of compassion.