The weight of history settled upon me as I walked through Pocahontas Island, the oldest free Black community in the United States, a poignant moment in a 3,000-mile journey begun in New York City. Virginia unfolded beneath my feet, a landscape mirroring the fractured state of the nation I’d been intentionally distancing myself from online.
The digital world felt consumed by division, a relentless tearing apart of the American spirit. My walk wasn’t about adding to the noise, but about calling for a return to core principles: merit, faith, and the enduring promise of the American Dream – aspirations I believe resonate within most hearts.
An unexpected gift emerged along the open road: silence. Hours spent in quiet contemplation allowed for reflection, prayer, and a deeper listening – to a power greater than myself, to the voice within, and to the stories of those I encountered.
The wisdom of James 1:19 echoed in my mind: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” This verse became a guiding principle, a reminder that genuine understanding blossoms from truly hearing another’s perspective.
We live in an age of polarization, fueled by instant outrage and quick judgments. Online disagreements escalate into shouting matches, reducing complex individuals to single, often misconstrued, opinions. But the real world, experienced face-to-face, revealed a different truth.
I met individuals with whom I likely would have clashed fiercely on social media, divided by politics, race, or policy. Yet, in person, I discovered the humanity beneath the surface. A farmer, disagreeing with my stance on education, spoke of nightly prayers for his children.
A young mother, passionately arguing about government responsibility, then shared her fervent dream of launching a small business. These weren’t debates; they were glimpses into souls, revealing the hopes and fears that shape us all.
Proverbs 18:13 warns us: “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.” How often are we guilty of this online, launching attacks without truly hearing the other side, falling prey to sensationalized headlines? The silence on this walk restored my patience, teaching me the value of simply being present.
Pocahontas Island held particular significance. Founded in the early 1800s, it offered a haven of freedom and independence for Black residents in a time when such things were almost unimaginable in the South. They owned property, built lives, and faced dangers we can scarcely comprehend.
Their focus remained steadfastly on freedom, a beacon of hope in a world steeped in slavery. My journey aims to rekindle merit, faith, and the American Dream, yet so much energy is wasted on trivial disputes and the rewriting of history. A toxic identity politics threatens to unravel the very fabric of our nation, profiting from our division.
This walk has been a blessing, particularly the silence and the genuine connections forged through conversation. It’s provided space for prayer and a renewed sense of divine guidance, echoing the call of Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”
We can disagree without abandoning our shared humanity. Listening to one another, recognizing the inherent worth in every individual, reminds us of the bonds that unite us as Americans. That is the path forward.
Let us quiet the voices of hatred, reaffirm our faith, and together, reclaim the promise of the American Dream, starting now.
