What Would You Like to See More of in Your Community?

Sometimes things just don't go the way they ought.

Yesterday the trash crew carried off our Rabbit Recycling bin along with the garbage. I was aggravated with myself for the better part of the day because I had lovingly packed it with things needing a second life—the dog harness that Coop had outgrown, the extra carbon-monoxide detector that we didn't need anymore, the light sconces that someone else might have upcycled—all gone. I should have labeled the bin, but it’s too late now.

These are the kinds of things I'm finding it easy to fixate on, rather than the larger societal issues that I feel powerless to change. But are we truly powerless? Maybe it just feels that way.

There are many actions I'd like to condemn in our world right now. But condemnation alone isn't the path forward. I don't mean one should give up on working toward desired outcomes, whether they be political, charitable, environmental, or something else. But the hate we see many throwing around isn't getting us anywhere.  

At protest rallies, a frequent chant goes: "The people united will never be divided." I'm not sure how we can get there given the times, but acting locally does feel possible.

The thing I'd generally like to see more of is just friendly connections in our communities, even if we are voting differently.

To that end, I'm working to build a conversation group at the Penn Wynne Library near where I live outside of Philadelphia.

The plan is to invite neighbors to come to a one-hour meeting to share food and get to know each other better. We will establish discussion protocols, select topics, and then hear each other out with the agreement that we're not there to change anyone's mind on the issues. We can agree to disagree and still be good neighbors.   

Anyway, this is the way I hope it unfolds; we shall see. I would love it if people across the entire country would start gathering to break bread and listen to one another.

I remember in 2023 interviewing Noah Raven for Grid Magazine, who was twelve-years-old at the time and on a mission to save monarch butterflies. The dwindling population statistics for monarchs were looking grim, but when I asked him if he found it discouraging, he said that he feels better as long as he is doing something to save them.  

I left that interview thinking how wise he was, and I still believe that if we can each commit to taking small actions to build more of what we would like to see in the world, we might just be able to make it happen.

So, please feel free to borrow the Breaking Bread idea. Despite the oft-repeated lament about how polarized folks are right now, most of us do agree that the government could function better. And if we want better things from our government, let's lead the way one community at a time. At least we'll feel better if we're doing something.

If you can, join me for Breaking Bread with Neighbors at  Penn Wynne Library, 130 Overbrook Pkwy. Wynnewood, PA 19096 on January 9th at 4:00 pm.