If you're a strong believer that disparate individuals and organizations can always come together in a cooperative spirit to seek solutions, incidents in the past few days may have put some dents in your ethos.

Fan of professional basketball? NBA owners and players couldn't agree on a contract and the season is likely over. Hopeful that the Congressional supercommittee could find a grand bargain in their budget negotiations? It didn't happen. And, the pepper spray incident at UC Davis can only beg the question, "are we as a nation destined to keep moving ideologically farther from one another?"

Hardly. National incidents of rancor and conflict will always be amplified by national media, often so loud it can drown out the incredible endeavors courageous individuals undertake each day to seek and find common ground.

At InCommons, we see the spirit of collaboration surviving and thriving everyday, and this Thanksgiving, we are so incredibly grateful for this fact - particularly as it relates to our own development.

We are thankful for the thousands of Minnesotans who have become part of the InCommons community over the past year - simultaneously defining, applying and embodying our values as they sought community solutions.

We are grateful for the hundreds of individuals statewide who have provided solicited and volunteered feedback and ideas to help co-create and advance our organization.

We're thankful for the facilitators helping guide our InCommons gatherings, fostering meaningful conversations among participants.

We are grateful to the countless individuals and organizations that have submitted ideas and solutions to the community challenges we've helped support or organized. We appreciate the time and energy given in submitting entries, and the fact that these entries are now available for all members to review and peruse as they search for inspiration and blueprints in solving their own community issues.

From all of us at InCommons, you have our sincerest appreciation.

-Jake Voit, InCommons Manager