March 21, 2020
Adjacent to the lengthy and meandering Lake Dardanelle, the neat, small town of Russellville, is making a go of it in the low, green, rolling hills of AR. After the flat, barren plains of TX and western OK, it is good to be in green again, even if we appear to have retreated from the sun as well.
Yesterday, on our way into town, Tom found us a prize park in which to walk this morning, despite having lost an hour to CDT. At 8:30 am, not many are out yet. Walking trails lace and encircle this portion of Lake Dardanelle, which stretches west to the next town of Conway; and even though we have reluctantly reconnected with the cold, damp and greyness, spring has begun its indomitable vanquishing of hibernation and winter losses – which is exactly what my soul needs right now. Redbud and cherry are in bloom, and hardwoods wear faint halos of green.
The wind is out of our sails at the moment, and restoration needed – and this walk feels like a metaphor for what is still right about our world.
I don’t have much faith in our federal officials – I still believe they seek primarily that which serves only their personal self-interest. But I have more faith in the wisdom and altruism of state and local officials, having worked with many smart, dedicated and gifted people in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
As I walk, I also reflect on two characteristics that I think distinguish America from other parts of the world during a crisis: inventiveness (perspective, creativity, innovation, can-do) and resilience.
So it is these things, in addition to my personal faith, on which I will rely as we all navigate uncertainty. And I remind myself to take care, not so much for me, but for you.
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