Friday will be a day of celebration in Washington, D.C. as the traditional presidential inauguration ushers in the Donald Trump presidency, but will Grand Junction party or protest?

It seems that America is as divided now as it was before the presidential election in November. In all my years, I don't remember a time when the nation remained so strongly divided so long after the election.

Typically, those who's candidate lost the election learn to accept the results of the election and realize that the next four years won't be half as bad as they were led to believe it would be during the mud-slinging of the campaign. But, this time, the attacks on the winner have been relentless - and the winner has continued the open-mouth policy that was so prevalent on the campaign trail.

Across the nation, groups gather this week to protest the presidency of Donald Trump, while others join in the celebration of a new day and a new future -- whatever that future might be.

So, what about Grand Junction? Party or protest?

Well, based on the Mesa County election results, we would expect the partiers to outnumber the protestors. Trump received over 64% of the votes in Mesa County, while Hillary Clinton garnered just under 28%.

The one thing I wonder about is how many of that 64 % are still in the party mood?

Electoral College Voters Cast Ballots Amid Protests
(Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)
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The fact is, we don't know what the future holds, but none of us has any control over it, so it does no good to worry about it. In all likelihood, the future won't be as good as Donald Trump says it's gonna be, nor will it be half as bad as Hillary Clinton said it would be if he won.

If I could wave a magic wand, I would make all the negativity go away and remind everyone that we are all Americans, living on the same soil, under the same red, white, and blue flag, and singing the same song with Lee Greenwood, "I'm proud to be an American."

We need to remember that, ultimately, we are all playing for the same team, and fighting for the same cause. It really doesn't matter the color of our skin, the size of our bank account, or the political party with which we choose to affiliate with.

The men and women who have served in defense of our nation for some 250 years have given their lives and fought for the rights and the freedom of everyone in the land, regardless of the differences that may divide us philosophically, religiously, geographically, and racially.

Perhaps you don't feel like celebrating the Donald Trump presidency, and that's fine. But, I can tell you that America is still worth celebrating. It's still the greatest nation on earth, and it's bigger and greater than any one political candidate, whether it be Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

It's time for all of us - Donald Trump included -  to lay aside our differences and pick up the mantle of love, unity, tolerance, goodness, faith, self-control, compassion, compromise, integrity, and honor. These are the things that will make America great again.

This week, we don't celebrate a man, a philosophy, or a political party. We celebrate a God-blessed nation, indivisible - with liberty and justice for all.

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