Welcome to Building Bridges Word by Word
We provide a safe space where we can share our stories, discover what we may have in common, and begin to build bridges across our divides. But we can’t do it without you! Come share your story!
This Substack isn’t about me or my stories. It’s about you and your stories. It's about all of us. It’s about reading the stories of people like us and the stories of people who aren’t like us and maybe finding some unexpected things we have in common.
Building Bridges Word by Word offers a safe space where we can share our stories, discover what connects us, and learn from those who have different perspectives. In doing so, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and each other, and can begin to build bridges across our divides. Where you can find the stories? Here on Substack and on the Building Bridges Word by Word website.
By sharing your stories, Building Bridges Word by Word provides something we desperately need – a way that we can begin to see ourselves in others.
But we can’t do it without you!
For the Backstory and How to Participate, Read On!
We live in challenging times. Every day, we see how our divisions seem to grow ever wider, ever deeper, ever louder. Reports of conflicts and turmoil often dominate the news, are spread by social media algorithms, and are quietly or loudly repeated in many of our social circles. It’s difficult to imagine how we could ever get beyond these rifts.
And yet, every day, there are stories about kindness, sacrifice, generosity, and connections. Stories of people stepping up in ways large and small to help each other – often people they have never met before. When our divides are mentioned in these contexts, it’s to underscore how remarkable these efforts are. While these actions don’t erase our disagreements, they momentarily override them, enabling us to see people in a new light.
Our divisions and connections exist side by side. The reality of one does not cancel the other. But what if we could flip the script? What if we could lead with what connects us and use that understanding to begin to step back from the rifts that divide us?
While there are many avenues for us to express ourselves these days, few encourage thoughtful ways to reach out to others – particularly those on the other side of the divide – and find what we have in common. And while many organizations strive to bring people together, it is not logistically feasible to engage everyone in such face-to-face efforts. Moreover, many of us are not open to participating in this way. It takes courage to meet with those we suspect may challenge our beliefs, especially those we have been led to distrust or fear. We need alternative spaces where we can “meet” those outside of our circles, listen to each other, and discover our possible connections.
Building Bridges Word by Word aims to be such a space. The project is based on the premise that writing a reflection about something that is meaningful to us and reading reflections of others can yield insights into what is significant and enduring in all of our lives.
Co-editing Teaching with Fire, Leading from Within, and Teaching With Heart - where educators and leaders reflected on poems that were meaningful for them in their life and work - we saw how such reflections can reveal life experiences and values that resonate with others, sometimes in surprising ways. We believe that when we have the opportunity to speak from the heart and feel that we have been heard, we are more receptive to listening to others. And that listening to others, hearing what is meaningful to them, shines a light on all that we share.
Building Bridges Word by Word invites you to write a short reflection about a saying, quote, song, or poem that is meaningful to you.
By posting your stories here on Substack and on the Building Bridges Word by Word website, we offer a safe space where all of us can get to know a wide range of interesting people - including those outside of our circles - who we might not normally encounter or perhaps even seek out. By reading each other’s stories, we can discover what we may have in common, and, with that understanding, begin to build bridges across our divides.
With the intensity of what is happening around us, this may seem like too modest of an approach. But pathways to healing often begin with small steps, growing over time. As more people tell their stories and listen to each other, we can begin to reach across the divides, building understanding, empathy, and trust.
To ensure that Building Bridges Word by Word reflects the wide range of the American experience, the project includes stories from anyone who lives in the United States. By telling stories from people from all walks of life, the project endeavors to reflect the rich diversity of our country and our common humanity.
We hope you’ll join us in this bridge building effort. Here are some of the ways you can do so.
Share Your Story
Each story is part of the bridge we are building together across our divides.
We invite you to write a short reflection (250 words or less) on a favorite saying, quote, song, or poem that is meaningful to you. Wondering what you might write about? Think about a line or two that speaks to who you are and what you believe, such as:
A saying you’ve heard many times but seems particularly significant these days or a new one that seems to say it all.
A quote that you’ve taped to your refrigerator or tacked on to your emails because it captures how you feel about the world.
A song that helps you get through tough times, or makes you want to dance with joy.
A poem that gives you peace, or challenges you to think or act differently.
By way of illustration, here are a few stories that evoke the spirit of this effort:
A woman writes that she often thinks of the saying, “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” to remind herself to not get involved in things that are not hers to solve.
A farmer uses a quote by Will Rogers, “A farmer has to be an optimist, or he wouldn’t still be a farmer,” as a way to explain to himself and others why he keeps at it, no matter what the day or year brings.
A mayor reflects on the hostility in her town and calls out for her fellow residents to take care of each other as the father takes care of his son in Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem, “Shoulders.”
A man tells of listening to Alan Jackson’s song, “Hard Hat and Hammer,” each day on the way to work, describing how it gives him the boost he needs to start his day.
Note: To ensure that this is a welcome space for all, we ask you to refrain from commentaries on others. We will not accept malicious content, hostile language, or anonymous reflections.
We look forward to working with you on your story, lightly editing it as needed for clarity or length, with your approval before posting. The project is ongoing, so there are no due dates.
An extra benefit for sharing your story! Those whose reflections are selected for posting on our Substack will be named in the byline attached to their reflection (so you get all the credit) and will be entered into monthly Book Giveaway drawings for autographed books by outstanding authors and poets.
For more details about the project, guidelines, prompts, and the submission form, click on the “Share Your Story” button. Here’s the link for the PDF of the guidelines that you can print out and share with others.
Read Each Other’s Stories
Not up for telling your story? That’s okay. Reading each other’s stories is also an important part of bridge building. By walking across the bridge built by others’ stories, you strengthen their voices and the connections between us.
Read the stories posted here on Substack or check out the entire collection and learn more about the project on the Building Bridges Word by Word website. Wander around to see which one stories speak to you. Not only will you have a chance to get to know all sorts of interesting people, but you may also find that someone’s story is an inspiration for your own story.
Their reflection may remind you of something that happened to you or something you’ve been wondering about lately. Or perhaps their song, the one they wrote about, is also your song. That’s okay. There’s no limit to the number of stories that can be written about the same song, saying, quote, or poem.
In fact, it can be enlightening to read another person’s perspective of the same text. For instance, perhaps you’ll see a reflection written by someone who appears to be different from you in almost every way. In his reflection, he writes about a saying his mom told him over and over again when he was growing up - and how it drove him crazy. Turns out your mom did the same thing. And it drove you crazy too!
Maybe you still don’t have a lot in common, but knowing that about his mom (and his reaction) may enable you to see him a new light, one that illuminates a connection that the two of you would never have guessed was there.
Encourage Others To Participate
The success of this effort depends on engaging people with a wide range of perspectives and life experiences, especially anyone who may feel, for whatever reason, that their stories are seldom heard or valued. Our goal is to include stories shared by people who are vastly different from one another, whether in age, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or political, cultural, social, or economic backgrounds.
We invite people from across the country and all walks of life to send in their stories. To do so, we tap into our networks, reach out to those writing thoughtful essays and posts, and contact people whose bridge building experiences appear in the news. We recognize our efforts only scratch the surface and would greatly appreciate your help expanding our outreach. Please help extend our outreach by sharing Building Bridges Word by Word with your family, friends, colleagues, community, and networks. If you have recommendations of people or organizations we might contact or other ideas to extend our outreach, please contact us at buildingbridgeswbw@gmail.com
Other Ways To Participate:
Subscribe. In keeping with our mission to share the stories far and wide, all the posts are free and available to the public. Why subscribe? By signing up, you’ll receive 2-3 heartfelt stories and poignant reflections each week. These thoughtful posts will provide a respite from the turmoil around us and keep you engaged, surprised, challenged, and even hopeful about what’s possible.
Become a paid subscriber. You’ll feel great knowing that you’re helping to ensure that everyone’s words are read and their voices are heard (at no cost to them). Bonus? You’ll be entered into our monthly Book Giveaways for a chance to win autographed books by outstanding authors and poets.
Those whose reflections are selected for posting on our Substack will also be entered into our monthly Book Giveaway drawings.
Share/like/follow Building Bridges Word by Word on Substack, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Questions? Contact us at mscribner.buildingbridgeswbw@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you to post your reflection.
Thank you for joining us in building bridges word by word and for the good work you do in the world!