Zoe Lawhorn

All anyone talks about anymore is how divided we are as a nation. More and more, we see ourselves as two groups moving further from center. Two groups who cannot bridge the divide, who have leaned away from civility and embraced tribalism, searching for sameness in our selected social groups.

And for the next four months, the fevered messaging of American politics will certainly encourage this mass migration to sides. But, why?

I realize there are many, incredibly deep and complicated explanations for this modern American dynamic, and I am by no means qualified to offer an academic explanation. However, it’s clear politicians and other civic leaders, social media outlets, journalists and advertisers understand the success to be had by monetizing the strange but addictive dopamine rush of fear – their messages have certainly played a role in the polarization of our country.

And why wouldn’t we be afraid? I guess we all agree that the stakes are pretty high, right?

While there may be justifiable cause to feel afraid, there are just as many reasons to feel hopeful and encouraged – as dull and unprofitable as that truth may be.

Call me naïve, but I still believe there is far more that connects us than separates us. Despite all the things that tell us otherwise, what we have in common outweighs the things we don’t. For example, we all need the same things. We need air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink. We need companionship; we need education, and we crave experiences. Many of us share a belief in God – though the world of faith can also be a divisive place.

We, as a collective, are at our best when we focus on the beliefs and values we share. Sometimes, it’s helpful to be reminded of what those things are, so we can reorient our thinking, and shed the confusion that so frequently arises when groups come together and work toward shared goals.

I have the unique privilege of working for the Women’s Fund of Smith County, a collective giving circle whose mission is to transform our community by enriching the lives of women and children through impact grants in Smith County. We have over 360 members, and I can assure you, there are a wide variety of beliefs, political parties, leadership styles, and countless personality types that enter the room when we gather together.

But we believe in circles, not sides. We believe that by coming together with a shared mission, we can accomplish great things for people in need.

The outcome has been extraordinary. Since 2009 when we granted our first awards, we have given over $3.2 million back to the community through 34 Smith County nonprofits. We have accomplished this by remaining focused on our mission, which represents a value we share.

If you are a member of the Women’s Fund, you believe in the power of philanthropy – of giving back to your community, so someone else’s life can be improved. You believe that having access to things like healthcare and human services, arts and cultural opportunities, and education is important to the overall health and vibrancy of our community. And importantly, our members believe that they can and should support the work of our incredible nonprofits, so through their services, our neighbors can receive the help they need.

Every time members of our circle gather together, we could focus on the differences that separate us; but we don’t. We focus instead on the vast common ground we share. Because, we are in fact a circle.

By remaining focused on our shared mission, we have funded a mobile Planetarium used by the Discovery Science place for years to educate and inspire curious kids; we’ve made it possible for women to receive critical women’s health services through Bethesda Health Clinic; provided backpacks filled with healthy food to children through the East Texas Food Bank; assisted with the expansion of services provided by the Christian Women’s Job Corps; supported Mentoring Alliance in its efforts to introduce Social Emotional Learning into its afterschool programs; and those are just a few of the important projects our circle has had the privilege of supporting together.

As the culture of sides persists, resist. Seek out circles, instead, and gather with a group of people who are committed to making this community a better place for all. In time you will see potential, not partisanship, and that makes all the difference.