Standing in the park in Boulder, Jan. 6, 2022, with light snow falling, my fellow county neighbors and I were contemplating. We were not demonstrating nor were we protesting. We were acknowledging that we live together, and that when we give a tiny space for it, we can work productively together. No questions were answered there today, but I am aware of the questions I keep asking myself. How can we solve any problem if we don’t work together? How can we enlist our best thinking if we don’t practice restraint and respect? I am grateful for the people who had the time to show up in the cold and snow. I am grateful for the people who are working hard for the community. I am grateful for anyone who can take a moment to be kind to someone in need.
As a volunteer water and sewer board member, I experienced firsthand intimidation that I now realize had a profound effect on me. Threats and intimidation do not create, for me, an atmosphere conducive to clear, creative problem solving. Thinking together requires trust and patience. Standing together with others in the park today reminded me that I need to show up, one way or another, to be a part of solving community situations that we will continue to be faced with. I am grateful to everyone who participated today and to everyone who has worked for the good of the community.
