High fives to the newspaper for publishing Don Roberts’ column, “If people unite, just imagine what a wonderful world this could be,” on July 10, and handshakes to Roberts for submitting it.

His column carries the name “All Politics Is Local,” but the range of the piece is worldwide: Congress convening in compromise; business and labor uniting in a common bond; the United Nations bringing together “people of our world;” the “human tragedy” occurring on our borders; etc. The scope of the piece concludes with Roberts’ invitation that readers “come along and dream” as urged in lyrics of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.”

Often, big challenges are ultimately resolved by small acts. Yes, all politics is local; so are manners. Alone, none of us can turn the world around, but we can brighten our neighborhoods and communities. There’s where we start. Today, warm words are in short supply on sidewalks, store aisles and wait lines.

Give me a dollar for the times I’ve held a door open along with a “How-you’re-doing” to someone coming or going, only to be met with a look of “Who’s this dude?” Don’t challenge us with world-wide social problems when we’ve got ample short-handedness right here.

I recently received a neighborly fact-resolution at a local business office, so it prompted me to read the receptionist Robert Frost’s “A Minor Bird” I happened to have in hand promoting a bird’s song. Her smile and thanks further brightened the day. My pulse perked.

Roberts’ articles reflect well on him. He distinguishes himself from other newspapers’ op-ed pieces driving wedges between personalities. Roberts’ plural political successes expended for others are well earned. He spends something worth more than money.

I ended that column humming its lyrics.

John Benoit, Manchester