Practical Wisdom: Reclaiming the Soul of a Nation

By Rev. Dr. Ahriana Platten

Somewhere along the way, we began to shrink ourselves into colors on a map.
We let our identities get tangled up in party lines.
And in doing so, we forgot something sacred.

We are so much more than politics.

We are artists and healers, teachers and dreamers, elders and youth.
We are bedtime prayers and casseroles shared after loss.
We are laughter around campfires, and quiet kindness between strangers in the checkout line.

We are layered.
We are complex.
We are soulful beings who live, love, and rise far beyond what any campaign could ever define.

Not red.
Not blue.
Human.
Humans -- who happen to be American.

Yes, elected officials have jobs to do -- important ones. But they don’t get to decide who we are to each other. They don’t control how we speak with our neighbors, how we treat those we disagree with, or how we hold space for one another’s stories.

Their job is to govern.
Ours is to stay human.

It’s time to stop letting political tension steal the richness of life lived together.
Division must not become our new religion.
The soul of this country won’t be saved by a policy or a party—it will be saved by the way we choose to live together every day.

My parents taught me that once the votes are counted, the shaming and blaming should end. After the election, we all return to being Americans. The work of caring for our country becomes the shared responsibility of its people—not its political parties.

Did your parents teach you that too?
I hope so.

When I say I don’t care who you voted for, I mean it.
I care that you stand beside me as an American.
I care that we show up for one another, even when we see things differently.

Your political affiliation doesn’t tell me everything I need to know about you.
I believe we probably have a lot in common.

I want to feel safe.
I want my kids to live comfortably and raise their own families.
I want my mom to have excellent, accessible healthcare as she ages.
I want clean air, clean water, and real food.
I want fair laws, justly applied.

I bet you want those things too.

Sure, we may disagree on how to get there -- on matters like federal budgets, civil liberties, or how best to uphold the rule of law. And that’s okay. I’m an adult. I know how to disagree with respect.

I’m ready to share my views calmly and clearly. And I’m just as ready to listen to yours with an open mind. We don’t have to change each other to better understand one another. We just have to care enough to stay in the conversation.

So, I ask you:

What does the America you hope for look like?
More importantly, what does it feel like?

Does it feel safe? Fair? Inspired? Innovative? Courageous?
Does it feel like home?
Are you proud to raise your children here?

Right now, politicians from both sides benefit from our division.
It keeps them in power when we fight each other.
But when we stand together, they have no choice but to serve us.

Change doesn’t start in the Capitol. It starts in our living rooms.
In our houses of worship. In our schools.
In how we show up.
How we listen.
How we lead.
And how we love.

Let’s stop blaming each other for the past and start working together to build a future worthy of those who come after us.

We were never meant to agree on everything. Can we be mature enough to respect and see the value in our differences? Can we disagree without dehumanizing?  Can we speak with conviction, not cruelty?

Let’s stop asking, “What’s wrong with them?”
And start asking, “What kind of country do we want to help create?”

We are not powerless.
We are not puppets.
We are not only voters.

We are neighbors.
Friends.
Storytellers.
Bridge-builders.

We are so much more than red or blue.

We are American.
And we are meant to walk forward together.