In Saturday’s edition of The News, you heard from several Northeast Michiganders sharing their thoughts about how America and her communities can heal from the political and social divisions that have quite literally torn families apart over the past several years.

A number of themes emerged from what residents had to say:

Talk.

Listen.

Get beyond social media and into real life.

Bring God and Jesus back to the center.

We don’t know the ultimate answer — or if there is an ultimate answer — but we believe that, if an answer exists, it has something to do with all of the above.

We also believe healing is an action, not just a word. We can’t just say we want all these things, we have to do them ourselves.

We have to talk and listen in the real world. We have to refocus on a moral compass bigger than ourselves. We have to do it today, one small action at a time.

This country needs to heal, because America is best when America is united, and we all have to do our part.