As we begin a new era of leadership in our city and our state, we need to plan for our future but, at the same time, remember some lessons from the past.
I am the product of two generations of West Texas pioneers. I think about my Lubbock County ancestors a lot these days. I reflect upon the difficulties my grandfather faced in the early 1900’s as a dairy farmer in Lubbock County and the seemingly insurmountable hardships my father faced growing up during the Depression. The obstacles we face in the 21st century are nothing compared to the adversities they conquered in the past.
There’s no need to list the challenges we face, we all know what they are. But nothing positive has ever been accomplished by negativity, name calling, anger and derisiveness.
We need to forget about the political boundaries that divide us and think about our commonalities that we share as West Texans. We need to think collectively and act cooperatively as a group and do what’s best for our region regardless of labels.
I look forward to West Texas’ future with hope and optimism. I know we’ll continue to persevere and we’ll be successful. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity, a chance to reinvent ourselves and our region, and a chance to “get it right”. Let’s never forget the qualities that sustained the pioneers of Lubbock’s past—courage, hard work, humility, compassion, and cooperation. If we use those behaviors again, Lubbock will thrive.
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