2024 November 26 Driving Across America

Hi, this is Jim Cranston from 7EveryMinute and 7EveryMinute.com, the podcast and website about reimagining your life. Tonight, I’m coming to you from the road—literally. I got caught up forgetting about Central Time, so I just pulled into a gas station to record this. I wanted to share some thoughts about driving across America and meeting people.

Meeting people wasn’t the original intent of this trip. The real goal was entertaining the rather large dog currently occupying my backseat. But as I’ve been traveling, I’ve been reminded of something I see all the time on social media—posts about them. You know—the people who get labeled and dehumanized so it becomes easier to criticize them. I see it in comments about different groups, or even about the US as a whole.

It brings me back to something I used to say: if someone doesn’t appreciate what they have in the US, they should spend a year in the Peace Corps: live in another country and see what it’s like elsewhere. Now, as I’m traveling across the US—diagonally, which gives me a wide perspective—I think about this more and more.

I’ve seen so many different places and talked to so many people. It reminds me of a quote by Anthony Bourdain. Toward the end of his life, he talked about how liberalism had become illiberal in many ways. He said that after spending time with such a wide variety of people, he realized most people want the same thing: for their children, their families, or their communities to have a better future.

That quote wasn’t popular because it didn’t target the usual bad guys. Instead, it urged everyone to step back and realize we’re more alike than different. As I meet people on this trip—whether they’re stepping out of a fancy car like a BMW or an old beat-up vehicle from the 1970s—they’re generally kind and friendly if you approach them with respect.

The truth is, this country is still more unified than we often think. When you drop the condescension and just talk to people about everyday things—like the cost of living, food, or plans for the future—they’re open and relatable.

I recently drove through some towns in New Mexico. In one, I stopped to let the dog out, and I was struck by how the town was…gone. Completely gone. There were maybe 30 to 50 buildings there once, but now only two are still standing. One is a church, probably supported by the diocese, and the other looks like a residence, though I’m not sure if anyone lives there anymore. Everything else had collapsed or disappeared.

This journey has been eye-opening in so many ways. It’s a reminder of what we take for granted, the resilience and kindness of people, and how much we all have in common—if we’re willing to see it.

I’ve been through towns where the history, the families, the jobs—everything—is just gone. And it’s not just one place; I’ve seen many towns heading down that same road. One town I stayed in overnight really struck me. Off the main drag, just a block or two away, was the old main street. It used to be full of life: a Woolworths, five-and-dime stores, a fabric shop where people could buy and repair clothes, a bakery—all of it. Now? Boarded up. The entire street was abandoned. And I thought, This town, if it doesn’t get some outside help, whether it’s a company moving in or some kind of funding, it will disappear like so many others.

This kind of thing happens every time we make big changes without thinking about the ripple effects. Nothing is without consequences. We like to say some decisions are a win-win, but I’ve realized that’s rarely true. There’s always a loser. It’s just that the people making the decisions don’t care about them.

Take, for example, the proposed law in Oregon that would have banned vehicles older than ten years from the roads. The people behind it clearly didn’t look at the data—something like 60-70% of people drive cars more than ten years old. For many, it’s simply not affordable to upgrade. One of their solutions was that people could buy an eight-year-old car instead. As if that’s reasonable. In two years, those same people would be forced to replace it again. It’s such an arrogant, out-of-touch way of thinking—unfeeling, self-centered, and dismissive of the realities most people face.

This us versus them mindset misses the point: it’s just us. We’re all in this together, but so often, decisions are made by people who don’t understand—or care about—what life is like for everyone else. That’s been a recurring theme over the past few weeks as I’ve traveled across the US.

This time, traveling with my dog, I’ve been staying in more budget-friendly hotels. The people I’ve met have been amazing. They’re kind, friendly, and always willing to chat. The other guests? They all want the same basic things: to get up in the morning, have a productive day, and see their kids do better than they did. That’s what it comes down to. At our core, we’re all after the same thing: a life with some dignity and hope.

There’s nothing magic about that. The next time you’re tempted to say something dismissive about them—and usually, that group is tied to a political party, a religion, or some way of thinking—just remember: they are half of us. That’s the real message for tonight. No homework this week—the idea I want to leave you with is the same as I’ve been saying for weeks: we’re all working toward the same goals.

Sure, we have our differences. Some of them are significant, especially when you look at specific regions or countries. But there’s no good reason to let those differences divide us. Even on a global scale, it’s not about us versus them. When we start thinking in terms of, If we do this, another country benefits, we’re missing the point. As one of my sons—who’s been in a lot of challenging situations through his work—puts it: Follow the money. That’s what so many conflicts boil down to, whether it’s trade policies, regime support, or international disputes. But life isn’t just about money. It's about living, connecting, and finding common ground.

So, stop dismissing people as they. Replace they with us. When you do that, you’ll see what we have in common. It makes your day better, and it makes the world better. 

This is more relevant than ever, with so much happening globally. The war in Ukraine isn’t just over there. It affects us all. It’s not just Ukraine. There are wars in the Middle East, government upheavals in Africa, political turmoil in South America, and tensions across Eurasia. These problems are massive and complex, but they’re created for a reason. 

And you? You can be part of the solution. Start small. Start locally. If you can donate to causes that help others, do it. Organizations like the World Central Kitchen at WCK.org are doing incredible work. There's a list of donation links for Ukraine at UKR7.com. But even if you can’t give financially, you can still make a difference. Smile at someone who looks down. Say, Hey, how’s it going? Hope you have a great day. It’s not about grand gestures—it’s about connection.

A lot of my conversations on this trip have started with a simple smile. Just a couple of hours ago, at a rest stop, I smiled at a guy walking his dog. He stopped, smiled back, and said, Man, you remind me of John Lennon. Clearly, he hadn’t seen a good picture of John Lennon! But we talked for 20 seconds, and it brightened both our days. That’s all it takes sometimes.

So my encouragement to you is this: try to make someone’s day a little better. Thanks for joining me tonight. If you heard something you liked, hit the like button or subscribe. If not, drop me a line and let me know what you’d like to hear. And as always, try to live the life you’ve truly dreamed of—that’s the path to real contentment.

Sending love and encouragement to everyone. Thanks again for tuning in, live from the gas station. See you next week!

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