Meet in the middle with light.

Many of us wait every year to see what the commercials are going to be during the Super Bowl. The first few years this was promoted, it was exciting to see which commercial would win. But then I began to lose interest. However, this year one caught my attention. I was born in Kansas, but left when I was ten years old. My brother still lives there and I visit him about once a year. As soon as I saw the Super Bowl ad with Bruce Springsteen, I thought for sure it was the plains of Kansas. As the commercial progressed, I found that I was correct. It was a church in Lebanon, KS, near the Nebraska border—a church that “never closes.” I was surprised that I recognized the Kansas plains, but there is something magical about the plains. I was more impressed, however, with the message. Lebanon, KS, is the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states. The point of the commercial was to suggest that we must meet in the middle. Our country is so divided, and this was an attempt to spur viewers to mend the rifts of politics and polarization. As he is sits in this small chapel, Bruce Springsteen says “We just have to remember that the soil we stand on is common ground. Our light has always found its way through the darkness. And there is hope on the road ahead.” I find it interesting that there is a similar message from Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem:

                        For there is always light,
                        if only we’re brave enough to see it.
                        If only we’re brave enough to be it.

Lord, help us be the light and meet in the middle.

Mary Anne Totten, CPE Intern