Daily Herald opinion: Patience, humility, a willingness to be challenged: Why a monthly breakfast meeting to discuss political issues can be an example for all of us

In a corner of Richard Walker’s Pancake House in Schaumburg each month, neighbors gather not just for breakfast, but for an exchange of ideas that feels almost revolutionary in today’s polarized climate.

Roughly two dozen people meet regularly to tackle hot-button political topics in a civil forum where disagreement doesn’t dissolve into hostility, according to reporter Steve Zalusky’s recent article.

They are an example for all of us.

Why? Because today, so many of us express opinions from behind the safety of a screen, and it can bring out the worst in us.

Social media tends to amplify division by rewarding outrage instead of understanding and encouraging echo chambers instead of genuine engagement.

We see this on our Daily Herald social media accounts every day. People lash out using unkind and hurtful words, simply because someone has a different view. And because it’s easy to do.

But the pancake house group shows us a better and braver way to communicate. They show us how to come together to listen, challenge and learn from one another.

“This is the only place where people can go and say whatever they want, and nobody gets upset,” said group leader Flo Brinacombe of Schaumburg.

How refreshing.

There is something about meeting in person and having face-to-face dialogue that can soften hard edges, foster empathy and remind us that behind every opinion is an actual human being. In person, facial expressions can be seen and tone can be heard, diffusing tempers and promoting understanding.

The pancake house participants acknowledge heated moments, but they rarely become disrespectful. Instead, they make a conscious choice to find common ground and agree to disagree while maintaining friendship and respect.

“Our goal is to bring people together,” said Tom Harrold of Hoffman Estates. “I don't like the idea that the country is divided in half.”

This kind of engagement sounds almost impossible, and it takes patience, humility and a willingness to be challenged for it to happen. But it’s exactly what we need right now. We need spaces where disagreements don’t become insults, and where shared humanity matters more than winning an argument.

Maybe if we embrace this approach, whether over pancakes or pizza, we can begin to heal some of the societal fractures that exist today.

We’re all hungry for understanding, and constructive conversation remains one of our most nourishing meals.