February 11th, 2024 | Joanna Massier
In researching and developing a community resilience guide, my service has taken me to some unexpected places. From city and county board meetings to cat sterilization clinics, I could never have predicted the experiences my service would provide to me. More importantly, my participation in various community organizations and government processes has allowed me to meet many varied members of the community and learn from their perspectives.
As a young adult in my early twenties, I understand that there are many things I can not fully comprehend by nature of having lived only a fraction of one life. So, this often interferes with my ability to understand others’ perspectives. I also believe this to be true of other people, as every person on this earth has and will only ever live one life and are limited in the experiences they will receive. Although this concept seems negative at first, it has pushed me to spread myself further and learn more from those I encounter in the community. This town in which I serve is relatively small, yet also diverse and loving. There are no perspectives too insignificant or unimportant to disregard. What’s more, it would be disrespectful to knowingly (or unknowingly) disregard someone’s lived experiences when I have been generously brought here to learn and to serve.
Even those I disagree with or find unpleasant can become learning experiences. Instead of becoming disheartened and disagreeable myself, it’s not only kinder, but easier to give them grace and understand my own ignorance of their reality.
This is one of the greatest lessons I have learned in my time. Although I do not understand many of my neighbors entirely, I do understand that we do not live in the same reality. Instead, we each live in our own realities, shaped over decades by the same unique factors that go into shaping eight billion people into individuals. These differences create variances in emotional responses, creating eight billion different and distinct emotional realities, which are often hindrances towards cooperation and achieving even common sense goals.
What I may interpret as a neutral statement or announcement by a local commissioner at a meeting may set off a panic in my neighbor. It’s not that one of us is wrong, but that we have not lived the same life, and thus are not wired in the same way. Attempting to begin a discussion without first understanding this difference in perception and initial reaction can doom it as futile from the start.
The fact of the matter is that until we can resolve and reconcile the differences in emotional realities and solve how people feel about a matter, no collaborative progress can be made. This can be frustrating, as navigating emotional intelligence can often feel or be perceived as wasteful and only a side quest unrelated to the true goal. However, regardless of the true goal, the conversations leading up to what is regarded as being the key issue are equally, if not more, important.
This is one of the most important lessons that serving in a planning-centered assignment has taught me. It’s the process that holds the most value, not the eventual output. Without a fair, equitable and inclusive process, the eventual output is weaker than it would otherwise be. By including those who may initially feel misunderstood or disregarded, and by recognizing the deeply personal realities that shape each person’s response, we strengthen not only the outcome but also the community itself. When people feel truly heard and understood, they are more willing to engage, collaborate, and invest in solutions that serve the greater good.
Ultimately, resilience is not just about policies, plans, or infrastructure—it is about people. It is about how we navigate differences, bridge emotional realities, and foster a culture of mutual respect and shared purpose. My time in this role has shown me that the most effective change does not come from imposing solutions but from building relationships and trust. In a town as small yet diverse as this one, the path to resilience is paved not just with strategy, but with empathy. If we can commit to listening, learning, and valuing the perspectives of all, then we can create something stronger, more inclusive, and truly lasting.