Sharon Kolb: Remembering What Connects Us

Last Friday morning, I attended Teaneck’s September 11th remembrance at the Municipal Building. The words shared that morning were meaningful, impactful and hopeful. We remembered the lives that were lost and the families whose lives were changed forever, but we also remembered the countless people who stepped forward to help.

One phrase from our Township Manager stayed with me. As she spoke about that time, she repeatedly returned to the question: “How can we help?” Our Mayor spoke about experiencing both fear and hope simultaneously when he was at the site in the days following September 11th, helping in whatever way he could. Their words reminded me of something important about people. In moments of great need, we often look beyond ourselves and ask what we can do for someone else.

Over the weekend, I was reading the latest issue of 201 Magazine, which included several articles reflecting on September 11th and its lasting impact. One quote in particular caught my attention. It read “I also remember a time of remarkable national unity, when Americans set aside their differences and came together in ways that are difficult to imagine today.”

Those words stayed with me. They made me think about our own community.

We don’t have to experience a tragedy to recognize how much we share with one another. We may come from different backgrounds, have different experiences and hold different opinions, but so much of what we want is the same. We want our families to be safe and happy. We want our children and grandchildren to thrive. We want to live in a community we are proud to call home.

The more I become involved in Teaneck, the more I see how much common ground exists when we take the time to get to know one another. Through Teaneck Neighboring, volunteering at our local food pantry, my work with the Chamber of Commerce, and now through informal coffee gatherings in different parts of town, I have had opportunities to meet people I might not otherwise know.

I have also learned that connection does not necessarily come from having the same opinions or backgrounds. Sometimes it comes from something as simple as sharing a conversation, working side by side, or discovering that the person sitting across from you cares about many of the same things you do. When we take the time to see one another as individuals rather than through our differences, it becomes easier to listen, understand and find ways to move forward together.

We don’t have to agree on everything. We don’t even have to see everything the same way. But we can choose to know one another, listen to one another and recognize the common ground that exists beneath our differences.

My hope for the year ahead is that we continue finding things that connect us, make room for one another, and remember that before anything else, we are neighbors.

Sharon Kolb is a candidate seeking election in Teaneck's Town Council race. More about Sharon Kolb’s campaign can be found at: https://oneteamoneteaneck.com