Let the Dreamers Wake the Nation

As George Santayana admonished, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it" and I think one of the things I've come to enjoy about being a thorn in The Rose of New England (a volunteer  position I should point out) is, in looking at the past and reading about it on Mondays as I do in The Bulletin, I've become more confident about our future, despite how uncertain the present can seem to be.

We spend a lot of time talking about days gone by, forgetting that there's about thirty-eight thousand of us or so here in the now, who, by our efforts and presence on a daily and repeated basis, form a bridge from yesterday to tomorrow.

Through everything we do and nearly as often because of everything we don't do (commission and omission-Sister Mary Jean would be proud I've remembered that distinction for all these decades), we add or subtract from our city.

I wasn't born here and, between us, I'm not especially comfortable with the growing probability that I'll die here, but that's pretty much out of my hands so all I can do is my best for every day that remains. And that goes for you, too.

We are a city with a mayor with other elected leaders and formalized subordinate bodies and functionaries in complex and complementary relationships with one another delivering goods and services to us, the citizenry, and residents.

But there's an informal association of significant others, our neighbors, and friends, perhaps in a neighborhood watch, a bowling league, volunteer firemen, a clean-up contingent, or those who coach a kid's soccer team or host scout meetings.

Where we live is the sum of all those activities-not just our bond rating and our reserve to debt ratio. What we are is defined and refined by who we are. Yes, it's important we have trash pick-up, but it's just as important that we keep an eye on our neighbor's house when they go away for a long weekend.

We have a municipal apparatus for the 'big things,’ but we need to have engaged and energized citizens for all the things in between. So, when I write about a City Council meeting, or a public hearing in City Hall, or a neighborhood clean-up, it's to recognize and celebrate those who give of themselves to make where we all live a better place.

Here in Norwich, sometimes faithfully and other times more fitfully, we've been trying to do that which we must, to build a city where we can be all those things we want and choose. And every day brings another opportunity to try again and be better.

I’m certainly not suggesting Norwich is perfect. At least not yet. Perhaps what we need is you, and your head and heart to become engaged and get involved in your neighborhood and on your street. Pursue your passion, now’s your time.

This autumn’s elections are just the turn of a calendar page away and the more choices and voices we have the greater our chances of Norwich becoming even better. You know how you say, ‘Somebody should do something.’ You’re right, somebody should. Why not you?
-bill kenny