The dawning of a New Year brings hope and promise. The one consistent thread throughout Scripture is the hope of a brighter future. The great German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the darkest days of the Nazi oppression wrote of “living every day as if it were our last, and yet living in faith and responsibility as though there were to be a great future.” If we knew our dreams would come true, what would we like to see in this New Year? Here are some of my dreams for Lexington and Davidson County:
The Local Economy Restored: The citizens of Davidson County need jobs. Those of us in churches and helping agencies see the painful results of our economic situation every day. People are hurt, broken, and desperate. We are not only seeing the stereotypical welfare recipients who are asking for a handout, but we see people who have never asked for help before, individuals who are embarrassed by the situation they are in, but helpless to change it. Children are going to bed at night in cold houses without food to eat. We need an economic revival. We need jobs to restore dignity and stability. It won’t happen overnight and we will never see the return of the furniture and textile giants that carried us for generations, but I dream of a new day when people have multiple options for employment and capital is infused back into the city and county to create a vibrant and thriving community.
A Revitalized and Vibrant Downtown: The late morning Amtrak train glides into the new Lexington Depot. While the majority of the passengers who get off are tourists, several are residents who can easily walk to their new condominiums overlooking the thriving Depot District. The old Dixie Smokestack stands tall over the new Furniture Museum and the open air Lexington Market with lovely fountains, unique shops, and enticing restaurants. A shuttle delivers visitors to the Main Street shops, Childress Winery, the Timberlake Gallery, and the theatre where lines are already forming for the afternoon matinee. In the evening several thousand residents and visitors gather in the new Lexington Amphitheater for an exciting concert. This is not an impossible dream. It can happen and it should!
An Increase in Faith and Compassion: Lexington has always been a community of faith. Individually and collectively, our faith in God provides a solid foundation for a life of love and service. It is through our local churches that our faith is developed, nurtured and celebrated, and through our local agencies that faith is translated into acts of mercy and compassion. All of our churches and non-profits have struggled in this troubled economy. I dream of a revival of faith, a recommitment to our churches, and a renewed involvement in the agencies that help and enrich the lives of those who are less fortunate.
A Return to Civility and Cooperation in Government: Are we truly “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all?” Our elected leaders don’t act like it. Nor do their actions reflect a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Vitriolic and divisive political rhetoric has replaced reason and cooperation. Does it really matter if the Republicans win or the Democrats win if our leaders cannot work together? They seem to spend all of their time and energy discrediting and blaming the opposition for our failures. I dream of a day when elected leaders will put the good of the country and the best interests of all people ahead of their political party, will respect and act with civility towards those who have differing views, and will honor their position as a sacred trust that exists for the common good rather than personal gain.
I encourage you to join me in great dreams for the New Year. Henry David Thoreau wrote, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
(This was published in the Dispatch on January 7, 2012)
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