Contrary to popular opinion, it is Nov. 5 that may be the most crucial day for both American politics and American activism. Today, a portion of the population is exhaling with a profound sigh of relief because their presidential candidate claimed victory; as another portion of the population sinks a bit lower into despair because their candidate took a measly second place. Americans are collectively elated, jovial, worried, angry, exhausted, satisfied, frustrated, buoyant, pessimistic, gleeful, and possibly just content that this long, drawn out election has finally concluded (hopefully!). But before we resume the status quo, and remove ourselves from the political process, we as adults, parents, and voters need to take a moment to maintain focus and momentum.

Whatever campaigning, activism, and general effort you laid forth during this election season was not for the benefit or detriment of your annual tax returns, your financial portfolio, or your civil rights. You did not attend rallies, canvass door-to-door, plant campaign signs, pull up and deface campaign signs, yell at your TV, etc. for your direct benefit. Our political system moves at a glacial pace, and often it takes years (if not decades) to see the true results of our political choices and actions (i.e. we are still paying for Vietnam and the Cold War in both literal and figurative ways). No, all the momentum you stirred up (or for some of you, apathy you indulged in) is not for your benefit, but is to secure rights, freedoms, and privileges for your children, your nieces and nephews, your grandchildren, your friends children, your neighbors children, and children that are not even children yet.

See, we are just very entitled renters in a country/on a planet that deceptively feels like ours to maintain or abuse. But our lease will be up soon enough, and we, as tenants, need to make a concerted effort to preserve the integrity of what has been maintained for our benefit (both politically and environmentally), and pass it along to generation next. This is simple stuff, but easy to lose site of. Take the conventional route and write congress, organize political action groups, give to worthy causes, etc. or tap into your creativity by integrating activism and expression, form alliances where none exist, prove yourself to be industrious and determinedly passionate about things that feel elusive or hopelessly out of reach. So, this is not quite the moment to relax or brood, quite the opposite, it is the moment to sustain the drive and energy that we have all lent to our respective campaigns and causes, and allow our perseverance and vision to become communicable and continuous for the generations in waiting and for decades to come.

Eric Steinman is a freelance writer based in Rhinebeck, N.Y. He regularly writes about food, music, art, architecture and culture and is a regular contributor to Bon Appétit among other publications.