The winter months will soon be gone, and the Spring will be here. Soon new growth will be seen as nature awakens from its cold winter sleep. Children look forward to spring break and parents dread the idea of spring cleaning. Out with the old and in with the new. Nature will change. New growth in our plants, new born animals in the wild it is a time of progress and renewal. Progress means leaving some things behind, if this does not happen growth will be buried in the past. All progress results from people who maintain the memories of the past but take the often-unpopular position of progressively moving into the future. Progress is made by correcting the mistakes resulting from making progress. It is a continuing effort to make the things we have better than they were and are. There are no limits to growth and progress when we courageously embrace change.
Although, change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress persistently requires change. There can be no progress without change and those who cannot change will not advance. The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order. When courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better great results occur. The men who established this government had faith in God and inspiringly trusted in Him. They besought His counsel and advice in every step of their progress. And so, it has been ever since; American history abounds in instances of this trait of faithfulness, this sincere reliance on a Higher Power in all great trials in our national affairs.
We may not always agree on the method but we must agree on the fact that change will happen with or without our consent. There are certain risks in changing but they are risks worth taking. We can learn a lot from the turtle, he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. There is a parable entitled, “The Wild Duck of Denmark,” which tells the story of a wild duck that was flying northward with his mates across Europe during the springtime. On the way he happened to land in a barnyard in Denmark, where he quickly made friends with the tame ducks that lived there. The wild duck enjoyed the corn and fresh water. He decided to stay for an hour, then for a day, then for a week, and finally, for a month. At the end of that time, he contemplated flying to join his friends in the vast North land, but he had begun to enjoy the safety of the barnyard, and the tame ducks had made him feel so welcomed. So, he stayed for the summer. One autumn day, when his wild mates were flying south, he heard their quacking. It stirred him with delight, and he enthusiastically flapped his wings and rose into the air to join them.
Much to his dismay, he found that he could rise no higher than the eaves of the barn. As he waddled back to the safety of the barnyard, he muttered to himself, “I’m satisfied here, I have plenty of food, and the area is good. Why should I leave?” So, he spent the winter on the farm. In the spring, when the wild ducks flew overhead again, he felt a strange stirring within his breast, but he did not even try to fly up to meet them. When they returned in the fall, they again invited him to rejoin them, but this time, the duck did not even notice them. There was no stirring within his breast. He simply kept on eating corn which made him fat. In our city there is progress we would like to see and there is progress that we must continue to pursue. We can’t sit back and wait for an ideal situation we must play the hand we have been dealt. Life does not stop because we are unhappy with what we have. We are still relatively a new city and I believe in our potential and that’s where I will place my energy. During this Easter season we of the Christian faith celebrate the resurrection. It is a time of hope.
HAPPY EASTER AND SAFE SPRING BREAK. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND GOD BLESS THE CITY OF WEST PARK.
