Seahawks and importance of football: We are all 12s

As emotions run high the day after a divisive presidential election, football and our Seattle Seahawks offer us a path to a more cohesive tomorrow.

On Sundays, we are all 12s.

Today, half of our nation is celebrating an extremely unlikely political victory. The other half is morning the freedoms and liberties that our president-elect has promise to destroy. Emotions are high on both sides, and vitriol is spilling out into the streets and onto social media.

No matter which side you were on, I think we can all agree that America is divided in a way we haven’t seen in 150 years. Our nation needs healing. We need a reason to come together as one once again.

It is a small moment in the grand scheme of things, but that is what happens every Sunday when our Seahawks take the field. Suddenly it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, if you’re gay or an evangelical, white or a personal of color.

Because on Sundays, we are all 12s.

If our nation is going to heal, it must first come together. Those on the other side of the aisle aren’t the enemy, and never were. We’re all in this together, and we must learn to find common ground whenever possible.

The next time you’re at the stadium, take a moment to realize that the guy behind you could very well be a Trump supporter. The group you’re sitting beside are probably Clinton supporters. Those two young guys in your row might be a gay couple. That old couple you hug after a Seattle touchdown could very well be one-issue evangelical voters.

Take a moment and look around. Look at all the smiling faces decked out in blue and green and yelling at the top of their lungs whenever the defense is on the field. In that moment, in all moments, the political views of those people don’t matter.

Because on Sundays, we are all 12s.

Keep that in mind over the coming weeks. If your candidate won, don’t gloat. If yours lost, don’t lash out. Rise above the hate and divisiveness.

Healing will take time and effort, but it is worth both. Choose kindness and empathy whenever possible.

Because on Sundays, we all all 12s.