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Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and welcome to Widespread Panic,
While it seems rather counterintuitive I would have to say that we are should be remembered as one of the greatest periods in Waseca's history. While the sports scene had been phenomenal and the music scene is great it is much bigger than that. What makes this time so great is that there is a groundswell of change that has overtaken our community. Some of it is normal constructive change, much more is the result of reacting to outside forces that have reshaped our world.
As I look around I see the institutions that have made this city our choice to live, work and play - the place we chose above all others, those core institutions are changing. Our employers, our schools, our churches, community organizations are remaking themselves to deal with the reality of 2009, but much more importantly they are preparing themselves to deal with the realities of 2010-2019.
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I am excited most by those that are going additive changes - those institutions that are asking what is our mission, how do we accomplish it, what do we need to make it happen. Others are going about reductive change, what do I need to cut to get to my number. Both ways can be successful - but only one method moves the ball down the field. The truth is when you are at the bottom or at least a low point the cost of change goes down dramatically. There is no better time for a new hairdo then when your boyfriend just dumped you, no better time to start your own business than when you lose your job, no better time to learn how to swim than when you fall over the side of the boat. It would be great to take a snapshot of where we are today, a copy of the roadmap that folks are putting together to move themselves and us down the road and throw them in a time capsule for 20 years, I suspect they will clearly show this positive pivot in action.
Roy had a great column in last weeks paper about dealing with the tough issues facing us and he was right when he said that some will do the heavy lifting and others will stay home. My nominations for this weeks heavy lifters are Larry Thompson, Brooke Halla and Father Marty even if he did sing Iron Man when I asked for Freebird (...sorry for the inside joke). There are also many unsung heroes who are rebuilding there family budget at a fraction of what it used to be, there are those who are taking on a bigger load at work, and those who let another car out in front of them simply because they realize we are all in this together. Do what you can and take pride in the collaborative work that is being accomplished.
We all know that this Thanksgiving will be a little more introspective than most as we struggle with where we are or appreciate what we have just a little more because we understand that it is much more fleeting than we ever suspected. But I challenge you all to spend 5 minutes considering those long standing institutions in our community - our churches, our schools, our employers, our government our families. Remember how they have stood through much worse trials than this before and take solace in the fact that they are what have held us humans together, enriched our lives, shown us the path through the ages. Give them a plug as you bow your head before the turkey starts flying.
And now for something shiny.
Stay alert, stay alive.
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