A goal we can fulfill

The woods along River Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

As the outward noise of news, elections and controversy rolls on, there is also an impetus beyond the push-and-pull of politics, an energy that seeks to bring us together and accomplish meaningful work for the greater good.

That work can take many forms. But, while listening to news about the Georgia runoffs on Tuesday, I came across a Vermont Public Radio photo of a sign simply stating, "Let us go forward together." The words carried a certain extra weight today, with political fervor reaching a new crescendo amid a week full of major happenings in our nation. And the fervor is certainly understandable, with a new Congress, the runoffs and then Wednesday's count of the presidential electoral votes in Congress.

Still, even in this very political week, a message such as that sign I mentioned above is certainly welcome. Reminders like that help us, for a moment, step out of the politicized thinking that can so quickly narrow our focus. Most importantly, they remind us that we can genuinely work together, because we have done so in the past. The Congressional compromise which led to the recent COVID-19 stimulus bill is proof that this capacity is still there.

Clearly, our nation is about to turn the page and head into a new chapter in its history of political leadership. But there are steep challenges which have followed Congress and the presidency into the new year, with the pandemic and a struggling economy still at the forefront. As 2021 continues, it will still be critical for not only our leaders, but all of us, to strive for, find and sustain the capacity to work together as one people, so that progress can be realized for everyone’s benefit. However the balance of power in Congress shakes out, that will remain the path we must follow. Even as we face headwinds, it's our most crucial goal, and one we can fulfill.

— Gareth Henderson