Some recent quotes I've heard or read:

- Donald Trump has let pain in the room of US American politics.

- Martin Luther probably wouldn't have distributed the 95 theses, if he had to do it over again.

- I used to believe in programs, now I only believe in people.

- Why can't we believe in both individual responsibility & collective responsibility.

- I don't know what God is anymore, but I do know when I see Life.

- Politics is dead, we now need some new way of talking across our differences.

These are a variety of statements that have stood out to me in my reading and conversations over this election year. They come from people who are well known to the world as well as people who don't even have an online profile. They have stuck with me. I really don't know what they have to do with one another, but that's something I want to think about - out loud, here.

So I am hoping over the next few months to use this space as a place for conversation on the subject of recovering the art of dialogue. Mynapproach will be to look at seemingly complex issues in our world today, and engage a both/and conversation, as opposed to an either/or debate. This doesn't mean I plan to be neutral, but I do want to engage a broader view.

Why do this? Mostly, it's selfish. I've found myself locked into the same polarity that has gripped our country. Of late, I'm realizing that this systemic shift in our national dialogue is actually leaving out space for solutions. In short, we'd rather be justified in our positions, than find a solution.

So this little experiment is really an opportunity to engage in topics no one wants to tyalk about, because they are so volatile. I want to dive into those topics. We will see where it goes, and if it goes.