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Welcome to Building Bridges Word by Word

Building Bridges Word by Word is a virtual book in progress – and you are its authors!

We invite you to write a short reflection on a saying, quote, song, or poem that has meaning in your life. By posting your stories side by side, Building Bridges Word by Word will reflect the rich diversity of our lives and illuminate what we may have in common, so that we can begin to discover what connects us.

Each story will be part of the bridge we are building together across our divides.

Wondering what you might write about? Think about a line or two that speaks to who you are and what you believe. For instance, it could be a saying you’ve heard many times but seems particularly meaningful these days. Or a quote that you’ve taped to your refrigerator or tacked on to your emails because it captures how you feel about the world. Or a song that helps you get through tough times or makes you want to let go and dance. Or a poem that gives you solace or challenges you to think or act differently.

As you consider what you might write, please review the guidelines and consider the prompts which may be helpful to you. To ensure that this is a safe space for all, please focus your reflection on something that is meaningful to you and refrain from commentaries on other people. We will not accept malicious content, hostile language, or anonymous reflections.

We invite you to read the stories posted here and meet the people who wrote them. Not only will you get a chance to get to know all sorts of interesting people, you may also find that their story is an inspiration for your own. Their reflection may remind you of something that happened to you or something you’ve been wondering about lately. Or perhaps their song, the one they wrote about, is also your song. That’s okay. There’s no limit to the number of stories that can be written about the same song or the same saying, quote, or poem. In fact, it can be enlightening to read how people see the same text in a similar or a completely different way.

We invite you to encourage others to share their stories. We hope to engage people from many different backgrounds and perspectives, including gender, age, race, and ethnicity as well as a wide range of geographic, educational, political, religious, and social backgrounds. Please help us to expand our outreach by sharing this welcome letter and/or the Call for Stories with your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and networks.

And, please help us get out the word by following/liking Building Bridges Word by Word’s Facebook page and liking and sharing posts that catch your eye. The greater the number of interactions, the more visibility we’ll get from Facebook’s algorithm. 

Thank you for joining us in Building Bridges Word by Word!

If you have questions, please contact us at buildingbridgeswbw@gmail.com

Read the Stories and Meet the People Who Wrote Them

Wander around and see which stories speak to you. Each story contributes to our collective experiences, creating a bridge of shared understanding.

Share Your Story and Be a Bridge Builder

Reflect on a meaningful saying, quote, poem or song. It could be an old family saying, a quote that inspires you, or a heart-touching poem or song.