Listening to each other and finding middle ground

This morning I requested to be deleted from a citizen activist mailing list. While I appreciated their effort and depth of research, it was difficult to read through the character assaults. For me, the definition of community is working cooperatively with common purpose. To achieve this we must be willing to join together as citizens and focus on the kind of future we want. Above all we need to keep talking and listening to each other. The listening part is tough.

It got me thinking about how much I appreciate this outpost we share and all the positive things that happen. On any given Tuesday evening, you'll find Jim driving his trusty silver Nugget van through our back roads, dropping bundled newspapers at the post office, on floors, and at doors. Equal ink is what comes to mind when I think of The Nugget, then I mix in balanced and fair. Jim, Kiki, and I have had a few showdowns over the years. The outcomes were always the same: My divergent views were honored by allowing me equal ink.

The next morning, as we're waking up, our two bakeries are delicately sliding delicious trays of pastries out of their ovens, while our coffee companies are brewing fine javas from around the world. As our street lights turn off, our retail comes to life. The book store opens its doors to a world of information and adventure, our midtown market begins to whirl smoothies, our bike shops roll out some of the world's finest two-wheelers, the clock shop ticks, the hardware store buzzes, the restaurants sizzle, our Western-wear store spurs or maybe purrs, the antique shops deliver treasure, the galleries take us to the world of art, these unique family-owned businesses set Sisters apart.

On this day, the Habitat for Humanity crew will be building a beautiful refuge for a deserving family, the Art Works will open its doors to the community, and the library will open the world to the community. Hundreds of volunteers will weave their way through town, from our food bank, to our schools, to our churches, contributing their time and their heart to our students, our elders, and everybody in between. Sisters Country has a proud history of taking care of its own.

At City Hall, the dawn brings the responsibility of thousands of details, from street fairs to water repairs, from lost dogs to where we jog, from street lights to building heights, they do it all. More important, they do it well. From our city manager, to our planning director, to our director of public works, to the amazing staff, they deliver an open door and an open mind. They manage an environment where opposing views sometimes turn into finger-pointing and yelling, but somehow they always find a way to bring citizens together, however bumpy the process.

That takes me to our mayor, councilors, and planning commission, each member volunteering hundreds of hours of his or her time to put together the building blocks of a strong community. From our past mayors, councilors, and planning commission members, to current, they each deserve our gratitude.

So why am I taking my Saturday morning to write this rambling letter? Because I believe in our community and I believe in the power of finding middle ground. As soon as our minds move from WE to THEY we fail. The uncomfortable truth is that the only way WE will solve our future problems is by finding the courage to listen to each other and working through our differences.

That takes me to what I believe is the most important investment we make in our community. Zoe and I chose Sisters 20 years ago for the same reason young families are selecting our town today. Realtors don't sell houses, they sell communities. Our schools define Sisters as Sisters.

It is my privilege to have a volunteer teaching position at Sisters High School. What I experience each teaching day is a dedicated team focused on safety, security, and student achievement. Our schools represent the best investment we can make, one that pays countless dividends, for us, for our children, and for Sisters. The bus drivers, custodians, kitchen staff, teachers, administrative staff, and school board have my respect and admiration.

If you haven't guessed by now, I love Sisters.