The headlines and issues front and center in 2024 have presented complex challenges. In this year end episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay uses his cold water open swimming to launch an exploration of some of our most vexing questions. He leans into listening, challenging himself to understand more about those across the divide. Kay hears from some who celebrate a victory, as others fear the days ahead. And, he’s reminded that our nation proclaims fundamental rights and freedoms, while struggling to uphold them equitably. Living through history is how one person describes these divided times. In a splintered world, listening is one of the last bridges we have toward understanding.