Every chunk of time these days seems to need some grand narrative to direct our attention and national conversation. This Thanksgiving it is the battle over TSA’s airport pat downs and body scans. Hot and bothered Americans are calling for travelers to “opt out” of such “invasive searches” and slow down security lines. But this isn’t the real challenge in America today; it is to find a way to "opt in."

Here in the Washington, D.C. area, Giant Foods, a huge grocery chain, announced a cutback of holiday hours the Salvation Army can have its renowned Red Kettles and bell ringers outside its stores. The reason: “to serve our customers, and not hinder their shopping experience.” What about people’s “civic experience” – where, for Giant Foods, does that fit in? There’s an alternative path for Giant to take.

Just one week after the mid-term elections, President Obama touched down today for a visit to Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world. Many Americans still believe Obama is a Muslim himself, which colors their view of him and his patriotism. What I want to know is whether Obama’s Republican opponents will set the record straight, or further exploit this falsehood for their own political gain.

Much is being said about what will happen after today’s election. What will President Obama and the Republicans do? Where did all the passion for “change” go? What should be the next policy agenda? Over the coming weeks, I will return to these themes. But, today, I want to focus on the underlying fight I believe we must be prepared to take on after Election Day.

This weekend Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will hold their "Rally to Restore Sanity" on the mall in Washington, D.C. What does it mean that two of the nation's most prominent comedians are sponsors of a “political” rally that will potentially draw hundreds of thousands of people? Is this just a counter punch to Glenn Beck and the Tea Party, or is something else going on?

These four small, powerful words are what one leader told me last week as to why she works so hard in her community. Her words echoed those of her AARP colleagues in the room. I suspect if I had asked you the same question after four days of our working together you might have said something similar. But, in the rush and busyness of our days, these words can be easy to forget, misplace, or cake over. Now, more than ever, we must remember them.