In the new year, I have three wishes for our beloved state of Oregon.

My first wish is that all elected officials throughout the state — and especially those new to elected office — will resolve to go forward in the spirit of finding commonality with others, and with a goal of understanding and helping to close the urban-rural divide in Oregon.

Last I heard, no elected officials won with 100% of the vote. So, no matter the office, constituents are not monolithic groups sharing the same beliefs as the winner of the election. Within every town, city, county and district in Oregon, citizens have many different perspectives and priorities. Elected officials who only hear the voices of those who support them are missing out on hearing from those constituents who have other concerns and ideas.

Secondly, I wish the creators of maps of the state that depict counties or districts as all red or all blue would get more nuanced with their use of shades of purple, which would more accurately represent reality. While it is true that most urban Oregonians are liberal and most rural Oregonians are conservative, thinking of parts of the state as red versus blue serves only to divide us.

My third wish is that everyone in Oregon — ordinary people and elected officials alike — will make an effort to explore parts of the state they have never visited before, talk to people and ask them: What is it like to live here? What do you love about it? What are the challenges of living here?

I feel fortunate to have lived for a few years in both Portland and Eugene. Now, I have lived in Pendleton for 15 years and have family in Astoria, Coos Bay, Glide, Bend, Eugene and Lake Oswego. Through our company’s newspapers, I am familiar with most of the communities in northeastern Oregon and the North Coast. Knowing people from all these communities has given me a great appreciation for the richness of life in Oregon.

In my lifetime, I’ve seen the urban-rural divide grow — but I’m confident that with some effort, Oregonians can understand and appreciate our interconnectedness and the divide can shrink … and maybe even disappear.

— Kathryn B. Brown