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A renewed national consciousness for the new year begins with how we, as ordinary citizens, choose to think, speak, and act toward one another each day. The more we embody respect, shared responsibility, and unity in our daily lives, the more this country can move toward the vision of a government truly “of the people, by the people, for the people.”
A new year, a new American consciousness
In a few days, we will enter a new year, 2026. 2026 can be the beginning of a new consciousness for our country, a consciousness that brings to life Abraham Lincoln’s profound vision of “a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” At this moment, we are not fully living that vision; instead, our national life often reflects something sharply opposed to it—polarization, hostility, and mutual suspicion between citizens.
Yet this vision is not lost. It is a call. It invites us to remember that this country does not begin in Washington, D.C., or in any state capital; it begins in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities. A new American consciousness does not wait for politicians to change; it starts with the choices of everyday people who decide to relate to one another differently.
What we must stop creating
For Lincoln’s vision to become a lived reality again, there are patterns we must stop bringing into existence and reinforcing every day. We cannot build a government “for the people” while we are constantly attacking and demeaning those very people in our conversations, comments, and posts.
- We must stop the reflexive criticism and blaming of others—especially of fellow citizens—we now generate almost automatically.
- We must stop treating those who disagree with us as enemies, traitors, or less than human.
- We must stop allowing social media and partisan media to train us to respond with outrage instead of curiosity and compassion.
Blame and chronic criticism do not lead to understanding or solutions; they only divide us. They train us to see one another as problems to be defeated rather than people to be heard, understood, and respected.
What we need to start practicing
If we are serious about renewing this country, we need to adopt a different inner stance toward one another. That new stance is grounded in respect, acceptance, and the recognition that, beneath our differences, there is something profoundly shared.
- We need to treat each other in a respectful and accepting manner, especially when we disagree.
- We need to remember that we are not the same and will never be the same, but difference does not mean defect or danger.
- We need to begin seeing one another from the perspective that truly connects us: as common expressions of the Divine, or, if one prefers more secular language, as equally valuable human beings deserving of dignity.
If we were to practice this principle, we would experience ourselves not as isolated and competing factions, but as citizens driven by a common cause: to create a country where each of us and our families can live, work, and flourish in safety and peace.
How politics is dividing us
Today, many politicians—regardless of which side of the aisle they sit—do not speak the language of unity. Instead, they trade in narratives of division, demanding that citizens choose one side against the other.
- It is one side of the aisle against the other, one “America” pitted against another “America.”
- This narrative does not truly serve us, the citizens of this country, who are far more interested in the simple, concrete realities of life than in endless partisan battles.
Most people want what citizens have always wanted: to have a job and the dignity of work, to raise and care for their families, to support and strengthen their communities, to respect their neighbors, and to come together for common causes that transcend party lines. When politics encourages hatred, fear, and contempt, it pulls us away from these basic human priorities.
The hatred, blaming, and criticism that politicians actively generate or subtly encourage only serve to divide us and, if left unchecked, will eventually destroy us as a country. Too many seem to be more interested in serving themselves, their careers, and their parties than in serving the people who elected them.
Reclaiming our power as citizens
The good news is that this country has always reserved the final authority for its citizens. We do not have to accept hatred and division as our national identity; we can decide that acceptance and respect will be the guiding principles of how we live and how we are governed.
- We can demand leaders who speak in ways that heal, not inflame; who focus on solutions, not enemies.
- We can withdraw our support—our votes, our time, our attention—from those who traffic in hatred, contempt, and division.
- We can choose, in our daily lives, to listen more deeply, to speak more carefully, and to treat those who differ from us with dignity rather than disdain.
As citizens, we hold the power to create a country that truly supports how the majority of us want to live. A new year offers more than resolutions about diet, exercise, or personal goals; it offers an invitation to participate in the renewal of our shared public life. If we each commit to ending blame and practicing respect, we take the first real steps toward the kind of nation Lincoln envisioned—and toward the kind of nation our children and grandchildren deserve.
Dr. Harry Henshaw
Port Charlotte, Florida
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