I believe all of us are feeling under siege in our current world to one degree or another. It’s like there is an elephant in the room, and we fear sharing our thoughts, concerns, and distress about the future.
Citizens of our age have been groomed to live in a democracy where it is our duty as citizens to engage with each other in respectful civic dialogue. The goal is to work to find and build consensus, especially when we face challenging times. We know deep down that we are better off working together than alone, even if it requires some sacrifice and heated discussions to make it happen. Respected historians, faith leaders, moral thinkers, and social scientists recommend a principle-centered approach to dealing with crisis and conflict. We strive to be fair, to act with integrity, to take responsibility for our actions, to respect human dignity, and to engage in positive community building. We can look around and see many significant examples of such time-honored practices right here in South County. This is a comfort and an inspiration. But let’s face it, it is no easy task these days.
One of my favorite historians is David McCullough. He reminds us that the lessons of history are there for us and must begin with “lessons of gratitude and appreciation for all those who have come before us.” We have all marveled at the way humankind has prevailed during unthinkable times in our history. I often hearken back to thoughts of those who hunkered down during the Blitzkrieg in World War II, under the mantra of “Stay Calm and Carry On”. This lesson in history matters and we can learn from it. Much is at stake.
We are fortunate to live in Michigan where our legislators have labored to create a bipartisan state budget in a timely way that recognizes their commitments to all Michiganders, under our current circumstances. We live in communities where we know our neighbors and community leaders. It is here that we should begin to practice our civic dialogue, even if it is only to agree to disagree. It could be in these random encounters that we can find the beliefs we can agree on, the common ground there is among all of us. We need to commit to learning more about our unique American history. It is our time to understand the intentions of Rule of Law and Due Process designed by our founders. It is time to stay connected, giving and receiving emotional support during this difficult journey. It is time to share our stories that help those without our life experiences to appreciate the sacrifices which have already been made to create a functioning democracy. It is time to honor all those who brought us this far and to do it with thoughtful actions that will preserve and protect our freedoms and way of life.
A note of appreciation:
Many thanks to the Schoolcraft Ladies’ Library Association (Established in 1879). It was in thinking aloud together with them about this important topic that this column was created. Let’s keep talking and striving to find our Better Angels and build our best possible future.
