 |
| This
is the US 41 Interstate Bridge that joins Menominee, Michigan and Marinette,
Wisconsin. It was dedicated in 1930 and spurred the development of the
commercial area around 13th Street and 10th Avenue in Menominee. It also led to
the development of the M&M Plaza. Courtesy of The Menominee Historical Society |
We live
at the border of Michigan and Wisconsin, at the push-pin point where the
Menominee River ends its waterway journey, and at the edge of that river's
blue-green boundary. Thus, our geography creates a unique place with the bridge
at the heart of one community uniting two cities, two separate counties,
and two different states. So, for us, crossing bridges is routine.
As the
bridge is at the heart of our territory, competitive behavior is at the center
of the way we think. We operate in the land of Vince Lombardi, the M&M
Game, and the University of Michigan Vs. Michigan State. We grew up in an age
where progress was made by fighting wars, winning campaigns, and building big
chains. Likewise, you and I participated by competing for top test scores,
being the fastest, and gaining status over others. For us, like
crossing bridges, competing is second nature.
Competing
is in our history, and, understandably, we default to this way of solving a
problem; but, how is the constant clash of opposing sides working for you, your
community, and our nation these days?
Consider
that playing games has its place for personal development, entertainment, and
fun. We are motivated by the challenge of a starting point,
boundaries, and a score at the end. However, community development does not
seem to be a game like that to me. Contrast competitive gaming with the fact
that we strive to live long and eternal lives. As well, the pursuit of
happiness is subjectively personal. In society, there are no starting blocks or
a finish line. Building a better community is a different model than our
regular competition. Can we acknowledge that we are not better off when
our games create more losers than winners for our young people, family,
friends, and neighbors?
Each time you are at a bridge, let it remind you about the heart
of our community. If you care, you would not be striving to win a game of you
vs. me, us vs. them. What if we discarded the win-lose thinking and instead
worked shoulder to shoulder with empathy and without fear? Replace the energy
spent on skirmishes and avoidance with actions of gratitude, building on
strengths, and cooperating as allies. Then, without permission from anyone but
yourself, you can be constructive at little to no extra cost. Cross your mental
bridge to making things happen through participation, acts of kindness, mutual
trust, and respect.
