Message from the Mayor: A New Year

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This year, with the political divide becoming so deep and divisive, it’s hard to avoid the clashes that can sometimes define family get-togethers. Don’t sit your MAGA hat-wearing uncle anywhere near your Warren-supporting niece. Whatever you do, don’t put a Bernie-ite in the Biden section of the dinner table. And after Sunday’s drubbing (yes, I called it that) of the New England Patriots, we don’t even have our common hatred of Tom Brady winning to unite us. I don't profess to know how to heal this divide that at times can feel overwhelming. But as November 2020 moves closer, there is no doubt that the intensity will only increase and people – even coworkers, the best of friends and family members – will become more conflicted and distressed with one another. That said, sometimes trying to see the perspective of others can help. Even those views you are sure are wrong and misguided, and even about issues that are truly important. A friend recommended this passage to me the other day. A different take on where empathy might come from. It’s a portion of a speech by our Nation’s Chief Justice, John Roberts, to middle schoolers at their graduation. Take a read if you haven’t seen it before:

From time to time in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice. I hope that you will suffer betrayal, because that will teach you the importance of loyalty. Sorry to say, but I hope you will be lonely from time to time so that you don’t take friends for granted. I wish you bad luck again, from time to time, so that you will be conscious of the role of chance in life and understand that your success is not completely deserved and that the failure of others is not completely deserved either. And when you lose, as you will from time to time, I hope every now and then, your opponent will gloat over your failure. It is a way for you to understand the importance of sportsmanship. I hope you’ll be ignored so you know the importance of listening to others, and I hope you will have just enough pain to learn compassion. Whether I wish these things or not, they’re going to happen. And whether you benefit from them or not will depend upon your ability to see the message in your misfortunes.

My hope for this year is that, notwithstanding our divisions and disagreements, we can still somehow manage to get along. That we can find in ourselves the kind of empathy and understanding that allows us to disagree without hating. Where mutual respect, tolerance, and dignity aren’t considered weaknesses but badges of honor. After all, Tom Brady won’t be around forever. Happy New Year.

Dan