Like many years, 2020 started with great aspirations, hopes and dreams. Businesses planned for a coming year with hopeful growth, people made resolutions. Shortly after that, everything else about the year went down in flames.
A glimmer of hope through the beginning of the pandemic was the outpouring of support and togetherness that this community and many small communities throughout the country experienced. “We are all in this together” and “We will get through this together” were slogans that were used widely. This sentiment provided a common ground for us all and is something that we need to get back to.
This is especially important as we approach the 20th anniversary of the devastation of Sept. 11, 2001. Many can clearly remember that day, and the emotions felt throughout the coming days, weeks and months.
What was truly remarkable following this tragedy was how the people of this nation came together. We helped each other, went out of our way to do what we could for our neighbors, and support the public servants and volunteers that went head first into the fray. There was great pride that developed in this country.
Let us hope that it will not take another event such as this to starting bringing people together again. Instead of being sinister to people, and thinking the worst of their intentions, we can work to avoid jumping to conclusions and give others the benefit of the doubt.
We must relearn the art of debate and develop respect for others’ opinions, regardless of how much we disagree with them. There are far too many issues that seem to divide us, and not nearly enough thoughts on how we can best support each other and continue to make Lincoln County thrive.
Our community relies on neighbors helping neighbors, on shopping locally, on volunteering and engaging, and on working together. We may not be able to fix the fracture of national politics that has driven us apart seemingly overnight, but we must take steps to mend it here locally.
Working together and caring for this amazing community and all of the people here is the best way to ensure a bright future.
We want to ensure that this paper covers the local issues that are important to this community, but also want to be on the side of uniting the community. We need your help in identifying ways that we can serve this role.
If you have suggestions on ways we can help be a uniting voice, please email feedback@lcnme.com, or call 563-3171 and ask to speak with John, or write a letter to P.O. Box 36, Damariscotta, ME 04543.
