Live United by Ann Austin

I’m going to get personal today. Usually I write about concepts related to the work I and others do in our community; sometimes philosophical views I think would be beneficial for people to ponder. Maybe it’s not always relevant, maybe it is for a few of you.

But this is going to be something I hope resonates with everyone.

Life is hard and messy, and there are so many things that seem like they should work out, but they don’t. It’s discouraging because sometimes it feels like there is more bad than good. Being in relationships with others can be painful, especially when they hurt us, on purpose.

I may seem like an optimistic person, but I can get pretty down when faced with issue after issue that appears to have no resolution and people who are just plain mean to each other.

When I was little, I was distraught by the destruction of the rain forest. I was in the third grade when I first learned about what was happening across the world. I felt like there was nothing I could do to help. It hurt me both emotionally and physically, especially when it seemed like others didn’t care.

I remember being on the bus and asking the children around me to stop throwing paper airplanes at each other because it was wasting trees. Rather than listen to what I thought were words of wisdom, they directed their focus towards me and threw paper, spitballs, even coins. It hurt, and I didn’t want to go back. But, with some coaching from my mom, I did.

I admit I was changed after that point. Even people I thought were friends had turned against me because they thought it was funny.

But I learned that having conviction is worth the challenges we encounter. Though I was hurt, it would have been even more painful for me to ignore the situation.

It took many years to work through those emotions — I admit I didn’t speak up as often — or at all about certain issues, until I was older. I wrote a lot. And I thought about the kind of world I wanted to live in.

What I’ve realized in my life is that no one’s voice should be restricted. There is a reason why we believe what we do and we are only able to heal and move forward by expressing ourselves authentically.

We value freedom in our country; let’s learn to give it to each other first and be safe spaces.

This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for these things:

1. I am thankful to have people who believe in me and allow me to be myself

2. I am thankful to live in a world with many people who have many beliefs — they enrich my life and help me see things from different perspectives

3. I am thankful there are people who feel safe enough with me to disagree — and even work to find common ground

4. I am thankful to be allowed to grow and change and become a better person — to not be limited by past actions or mistakes, but given freedom to find my true potential

5. I am thankful that life isn’t easy; and there are so many opportunities to express grace and humility

This world is what we make of it — let us remember that each person is on their own journey and is a valuable part of the whole. This Thanksgiving, let us be thankful for each other.

Ann Austin is the executive director of the United Way of Freeborn County.