41 degrees this morning (32 WC), Walk 38:52 minutes
One thing I always admired about Abraham Lincoln was his vision, even in his younger career. He recognized the value of infrastructure for the state and later for the nation in creating jobs and making a better society. Just to quote from Doris Kearns Goodwin in “Team of Rivals”:
“Lincoln knew firsthand the deprivations, the marginal livelihood of the subsistence farmer unable to bring produce to market without dependable roads,”. “Primitive roads, clogged waterways, lack of rail connections, inadequate schools — such were not merely issues to Lincoln, but hurdles he had worked all his life to overcome in order to earn an ampler share of freedom.”
I really have to wonder about some of the current thinking that any organization, including government, should see its’ role as being as small as possible instead of helping the citizens by investing in a strong infrastructure. Interference is one thing, investment in assisting business and citizens in being all they can is, in my opinion, the role of government.
The same can be said for the visionaries who provided the interstate highway system, providing for the internet, etc.
Hopefully, this city will have some visionaries rise who will push the vision for decent neighborhoods, instead of treating neighborhoods as afterthoughts in their push to pander to commercial business and developers.
Time just seems to flow, another week flows by. Somehow, last weekend (and the ice storm etc.) seems so long in the past, not just a week.
When I developed the structure of this journal, I used “season, year, date, day” since I figure it would be easier to find. While there is some truth to this, I think I should have used “year, season, date, day”, since it is logical I would look for the year first.
On the other hand, frequently I can remember what season something occurred, but, (much as I hate to admit it!), I don’t remember the year.
I can remember how I felt when for the first time I realized I couldn’t remember the YEAR! something happened, I began to understand the flow of life and realize I wouldn’t be forever young, much as I may feel it.
I probably realized that many, many years ago. Actually I can’t remember the “first time” I realized I couldn’t remember the actual year something happened, but I remember how I felt about it!
I think it is like realizing that, as you continue through life, many options close off for you, but, on the other hand, many options open.
While it isn’t always an equal tradeoff either way, each part of life’s experiences have a positive side also.
One yardstick is the holiday season. Each year since since 1972, I have been corresponding with a friend from my Air Force days and exchanging Christmas cards and a letter on our thoughts for the year. That is a long time, and makes me realize how time has really passed. It just doesn’t seem that long.
When I was a child, I always wondered why people would always say “my, you’ve grown”. I see it now and even hear myself saying it occasionally!
Looking forward to a great weekend.
That’s it for now, Saturday, December 5, 2015.
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