As the Spring ends and we approach the summer months there are some things we need to be alerted of. The last week of school is an exciting time for children and they may become preoccupied and forget the rules of the road. Use extra caution when driving through school zones. During those last few days of school, be aware that children may be arriving or leaving school at different times throughout the day. Remember that playground speed limits remain in effect year-round. Observe carefully when driving around playgrounds and parks. Small children are less predictable and harder to see than adults. Watch for clues, a ball in the road or on the sidewalk can mean kids are playing nearby. Pay attention and always anticipate the unexpected. Always watch for small children as you are backing up. Walk around your vehicle to make sure no children or pets are behind it. These are just a few cautions we need to pay attention to.
We are also approaching a new fiscal budget year. Please pay attention to upcoming dates and times so as to be informed. The time for budgeting is always challenging for all cities. As in the past we will work towards balancing our budget while maintaining our City’s progress. We have arrived to where we are today because we kept moving forward. What does an airplane, a bicycle and any progress in life have in common? If either stops moving forward, you are in trouble! Anyone that has driven up a snowy or icy hill knows that you are alright as long as you keep moving forward, but once you stop you are in trouble. Likewise, our City must keep moving forward. It does so by not allowing distractions to stop us. Sometimes we let our circumstances, both good or bad, hold us back from moving in the direction of our destiny…forward. What that means to one person may be different from what it means to another, it is based upon where you are looking, it is what keeps you going or not. On the agenda of progress is a period of struggle and patience. I believe that is the season we are in. The time is now for us to continue our forward movement.
One of the things that can keep you from “moving forward” is FEAR. Your circumstances don’t seem very good, your situation isn’t the best, possibly even seems impossible and with your eyes on what’s around you there’s the temptation to become fearful. What “fear” does is knock the wind out of you, it stops you, it paralyzes you, and eventually kills your motivation. Fear does this. Fear corrodes your confidence and unleashes a swarm of doubts, giving you the perception that you’ve lost control and it will shape the way you live. When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes your goal. When playing it safe becomes our objective, you seek the route of lease resistance, you seek the risk-free life. Can the safety lover do anything great? No. The fear-filled can’t see beyond the challenge. Moving in unchartered waters is risky. The fear-filled dreams sputter and fail and the safety that they seek undermines their progress.
I want to end with a quote: Everything that we know is based on what has already happened. And yet, our only inspiration right now is over things that have not yet happened. The things that have already happened have gotten us to where we are right now. What we need to be concerned with, is where to go from here. When we weight the progress and the problems of the past our progress outweighs our problems.
HAVE A SAFE AND FUN-FILLED SUMMER!
GOD BLESS OUR CITY AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
