One of my favorite shows is Ted Lasso. For those who haven’t watched it, the show follows a relentlessly optimistic American football coach who, despite knowing nothing about soccer, is hired …
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One of my favorite shows is Ted Lasso. For those who haven’t watched it, the show follows a relentlessly optimistic American football coach who, despite knowing nothing about soccer, is hired to manage a struggling English soccer team, inspiring players and fans with his kindness and unorthodox methods. One of my favorite parts of the entire series is a moment when Ted has wagered a game of darts against an antagonist of the show. On his final turn, he needs two triple 20s and a bullseye – and he nails all three. The final monologue of this scene is this:
"You know, Rupert, guys have underestimated me my entire life. And for years, I never understood why. It used to really bother me. But then one day, I was driving my little boy to school, and I saw this quote by Walt Whitman, painted on the wall there. It said, 'Be curious, not judgmental.' I like that. So I get back in my car, and all of a sudden it hits me. All them fellas that used to belittle me – not a single one of them was curious. They thought they had everything all figured out. So they judged everything, and they judged everyone. And I realized that their underestimating me… had nothing to do with who I was. 'Cause if they were curious, they would've asked questions. Like, 'Have you played a lot of darts, Ted?' To which I would've answered, 'Yes, sir. Every Sunday afternoon at a sports bar with my father, from age 10 until I was 16 when he passed away.'"
This moment struck me because it’s a reminder of how powerful curiosity can be – how much we can learn when we seek to understand rather than assume. We’re now post-2024 election, and as with any election, there are those who are pleased with the outcome and those who are not. Yet, the outcome itself wasn’t my main takeaway; it was noticing how quickly conversations have turned into arguments, name-calling, or cutting off family or friends. Too often, people seem quick to judge rather than to listen and be curious.
We forget that each of us comes to our views and choices differently, influenced by all the experiences we’ve lived through. It’s hard to understand things we haven’t lived ourselves, but we have to be willing to try. Without that openness, there’s little chance for real unity, either in our communities or as a country.
In today’s world, it’s all too easy to fall into echo chambers – spaces, both online and offline, where we only hear voices that reflect our own beliefs. While this might feel comfortable, it can limit our understanding of the world and make it harder to connect with others who think differently. If you find you’re only encountering perspectives similar to yours, I encourage you to seek out different points of view. Respectfully listening to others, even when we disagree, helps us grow and reminds us that there are many ways to experience and interpret the world.
As Village President, my hope is that we choose to ask questions, get to know each other, and find common ground, even in times of disagreement. Regardless of election outcomes, we still hold tremendous power to make our lives, our families’ lives, and our community better. Small acts of kindness, like smiling at a stranger, listening to understand, or volunteering, are ways we can build the connections that hold us together.
So, let’s make curiosity a habit – to learn, to understand, and to create the community we want to live in, together.