Our guest blogger this month is Keith Swenson, one of our collaborators for the im4u.world project. Keith has a long career in urban planning with a practice that spanned the country. Now in retirement, Keith works with legislators and special interest groups to tackle climate change issues.
In 2003, my wife and I retired to the Seattle area. By great good fortune, we found a #house just five doors down the street from our youngest daughter and her #family, which included two boys, ages one and two. What could be better for two doting #grandparents? Imagine my joy when the younger of the two, just learning to talk, spotted me working in the #garden and excitedly shouted, “Doin' Ampa? Doin'?” (Translation: “What are you doing Grandpa? What are you doing?”)
Both #homes were on the crest of a hill overlooking a municipal #park with a children’s play area. The #park had two entrances, one primarily vehicular and the other, a short block from our #street, was for #pedestrians only. The #park, and multiple subdivisions with thousands of residents, were encircled by a #pedestrian #sidewalk. Except, there was a single, two hundred foot gap at the #pedestrian entrance to the #park. The missing section of walkway paralleled an especially dangerous, two lane collector #street. To gain access to the children's play area within the #park, #pedestrians were forced to walk on the edge of the non-curbed #street with their backs to the vehicular #traffic. Other than climbing over the #park fence, the dangerous #street was the only means available for my grandsons to gain access to the# park, along with hundreds of other small #children and their #parents.
Unfortunately, this absurd condition had been allowed to exist for at least a decade, maybe two. Dad's words rang loudly in my head. “If I don’t, who will?” As a recently retired #community planner, I sought a planner's guidance at City Hall. I described the problem and presented my proposed solution. The planner agreed my proposal was sound but informed me that capital improvements projects, regardless of their size, required a series of actions likely to take several years to accomplish.
The planner offered an alternative - the City's competitive #Neighborhood Improvement Program. With sufficient citizen support the City would fund the full cost of the improvement. The procedure was a highly competitive, two-step process: first to qualify, second to win citizen support in a special election. Normally, twenty or more projects made the first cut but only the three or four getting the most votes would be funded.
My Dad. Probably 15-18 years old, cow handling in Colorado around the time of World War I. Note his bear skin chaps and lariat.
I drafted a letter, knocked on four hundred doors (gathering #volunteers along the way) and we made the first cut. The second hurdle was more difficult, but our small army knocked on even more doors, asked for votes, and followed up with phone calls to turn out the vote. Our #citizen campaign prevailed, and we secured a quarter million-dollar appropriation. A #sidewalk was poured, landscaping installed and #children, as well as #adults, could finally get to the park safely. My college age grandsons still refer to it as, “Grandpa's sidewalk”. I think of it as “Dad's sidewalk”.
#Fathers and #Grandfathers – #Listening, #Learning and #Communicating + #Experience = #Wisdom.
I am now 85 years old. As I look back at my experiences as a #son, a #father, and a #grandfather, I marvel at how truly fortunate I am. I have had the precious opportunity to listen and to learn. #Dad taught me how and why; unforeseen opportunities allowed me to live and work with so many of the diverse people of our country. Each broadened my #knowledge and #experiences and helped me gain a modicum of wisdom. And I remained #curious and #teachable throughout my life.
My father’s #life lessons have served me well and have enabled me to not only survive in this world but to thrive. Thank you #Dad. I will never forget you.
This is part of a multi-part story. To view past installments, please visit our blog, Learn-Engage-Empower at im4u.world.
This story is among many that inspired us to create im4u.world, an ambitious project to build positive and constructive conversations around the world, and share learning experiences to create real change at the local level. It is easy to join us. Simply start by filling out our Global Survey, a short 15 question survey asking you what the most important issues are facing humanity. Your voice matters and we are listening.
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