COMING TOGETHER DESPITE OUR DIFFERENCES IN THE NEW YEAR

Reach Out and Touch

Gail Oliver Cambridge | January 2026

Sam Sifton, reporter at the New York Times, called Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York City, and Jessica Tisch, the city’s police commissioner, an odd couple. He said that if their partnership holds, it will be a reminder that people who disagree don’t have to be enemies, that the new incumbent doesn’t have to throw out all the experienced hands, that focusing on consensus instead of division is an art.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all lean into extending an olive branch whether in a political divide, job conflict, or personal relationship? Why is mastering this art so difficult? What is it that doesn’t allow us to have consideration or empathy for others when there is dissension?

There are many reasons why we choose conflict over harmony, including holding on to power, not wanting to admit we are wrong, craving the spotlight, wanting to have things our way, lacking sensitivity to others, or just being stubborn. However, when thinking of the common good or for the better of the relationship, shouldn’t we acquiesce or at the very least compromise?

Rather than widen the schism, we must find mutual ways to come together, even if doing so is not always easy. Dr. Morgan McDonald, national director for population health at the Milbank Memorial Fund states, “Humility means acknowledging that we aren’t always right, that we don’t have all the answers, that we don’t have or demand all the power.”

After drafting this blog and listening to a sermon on obedience, I was moved to call someone who was annoyed with me. I have evolved because in the past when I received such a nudge, my response would have been “nope, no way” or I would have ignored it. This time, I didn’t even squirm but followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Alas, I didn’t get to speak so I followed up with a text, not to rehash the issue and be snotty but simply to make contact. We sometimes obsess over what might happen when trying to bridge a gap but need to unplug feelings of fear or insecurity and be bold and confident.

When faced with differences in any circumstances, we must have a mindset of desiring the best outcome. To achieve that shared goal, we may have to fight being uncomfortable and the internal tendency to do things the same way we’ve always done. Rather than hold fast to what is familiar, we must stretch ourselves and pour into others to work together to overcome the challenge, and by so doing, we too will grow. Dr. Claire Green-Forde puts it this way, “The other side of comfort is the power to transform the world.”

I have written on this subject before but wanted to remind us that we really can tear down our walls and reach out to others to find solutions and mend relationships. The recipients of the Musial Award and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, businesses going the extra mile for their employees,

and ordinary people of all ages doing remarkable acts of kindness to connect communities illustrate this and give me hope.

Each morning when our eyes pop open, we thank God for blessing us to see a new day. And each new day we have an opportunity to express our gratitude in a multitude of ways. How about we resolve in this New Year to seek paths to come together and make things right? Be inspired by Diana Ross, Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand).

Best wishes for a healthy and grace-filled year full of love.