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Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I remember this mantra when I model the behavior that I want to see. I don’t believe in complaining on a loop about all the problems I see. I am a habitual problem solver. Margaret Thatcher said, “Bring me solutions, not problems.” When “I don’t know” is not an answer, we need solutions, not complaints. We have some real whoppers of problems happening in the world around us. It can feel like we are powerless to help. But we are no shrinking violets, nor are we maidens in distress.

Americans have persevered through hard times before. We came out stronger on the other side. We didn’t do it alone. We banded together and helped each other.

Neighbors helped their neighbors, families helped other families and communities helped each other. We can do it again, and we must. Ryunosuke Satoro said, “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” United, we stand. Divided, we fall. We must not let this American experiment fail.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” We need to get up and out in the community and do the work of reuniting with each other. Shonda Rhimes, the creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” wrote, “So do it. Decide. Is this the life you want to live? Is this the best you can be? Can you be stronger? Kinder? More compassionate? Decide. Breathe in, breathe out and decide.” If we put our minds to it, we can solve our problems and emerge stronger on the other side.

There are eight steps in finding a solution to a problem: Identify the problem, analyze it, generate possible solutions, evaluate them, choose the best one, implement it, evaluate the results and make modifications as needed.

Start small. Introduce yourself to the neighbors you don’t know. We can volunteer at local nonprofit organizations and donate to pantries and shelters. We can go to the citywide clean-up days. We can get involved at our city council meetings, school board meetings and town hall meetings. When we talk to each other, we can identify the problems in our communities. When we figure out what we need to fix, we can make a plan to work out solutions. Find a way to get involved and stop waiting for the politicians to rescue us.

Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” I truly believe that we are all in a perpetual state of learning and improving. We need to get past our differences and stop letting a few people tell us to hate each other. We are all human. We don’t have to accept each other. We don’t have to do things that make us uncomfortable. The world is wide enough for both you and me. “This land is my land, this land is your land.”

Bethany Greiner
Albert Lea