If I Could Make My Neighborhood Better, I’d ….
So What’s Stopping You?
It seems that in our society today our initial default reaction is to complain or be cynical. Sometimes that reaction is wrapped in an attempt at humor. While humor is vital and can keep us from taking things (including ourselves) too seriously, it can also erode our confidence in institutions and society in general.
Here in Rosemont we occasionally hear complaints – some quite deserved – about how things are or something that has happened. Unfortunately, that too often is where the conversation ends. Seldom is the next logical question asked, much less answered: What can I do about it?
Is it because we somehow expect someone else to make the correction or solve the problem? Some public agency or some business? Or some neighbor?
First, is it really someone else’s responsibility? Or is it something you can easily deal with yourself or with friends? If it is someone else’s responsibility are they are even aware of the problem? If not, why don’t you report it? We all have phones and email and can look up numbers and web sites.
If we see something that does not make us proud of our community, what’s stopping us from speaking up and taking action? Surely if you are reading this you know that there is a community organization that can help you. In fact, there are lots of resources available to solve most problems or at least mitigate them a bit. But these resources, like yourself, are just volunteers wanting and working to make our community better. They have no more time in the day than you, and probably less talent or energy than you.
If our Rosemont community is to continue to grow and get better, it will take all of us pulling together. So, what’s really stopping you from helping?