Where There's a Will, There's a Way
In building your community, a little resourcefulness never hurts

In the movie Apollo 13, the crippled spacecraft is somewhere near the moon and needs difficult repair work if it’s going to keep the three astronauts alive long enough to return and attempt a dangerous re-entry to Earth.

The crew needs extra carbon dioxide filters from the command module to have enough breathable air in the lunar module, which they are using as a “lifeboat” because damaged electrical systems have left the command module without enough power to remain operational.

Problem is, the command module filters aren’t the same size or shape as those in the lunar module. So the engineers in Houston have to figure out a way to jury-rig the filters so they’ll fit. That’s when one of them dumps all the items onto a table.

“Gentleman,” he says, “this is what they have up there, and this is what you have to get that space ship back from the moon.” They set to work and the result was… well, obviously the ending was a good one.

Throughout the annals of history, resourceful people have had to work with what they had to solve dilemmas that often seemed impossible. Community-building is a little like that. I hear constantly from people who lament the current state of democracy. “If only better people would run for office,” they say. Or if only the news were a little bit better. Or if only the great Information Age didn’t bombard us with grim images from around the world 24 hours a day.

Or, in Kentucky, what could we do if only we didn’t have so many counties… or cities… or lobbyists… or whatever. The fact is, nothing about our state’s makeup is going to change very soon.

All I have to say is, get a grip!

It is often said that we almost know too much, and as a result mental, paralysis has set in. To escape this, many of us do what one CNN respondent suggested: We go inside our houses at night, close the door and watch “reality” TV to escape the real reality.

Instead of watching people eating heaven knows what, or old rock ‘n rollers showing off their family neuroses, perhaps we should reengage in finding solutions for our communities.

As citizens, we have an unprecedented opportunity to create a golden age of community life. Community-building is for real people and requires constant loving care and attention. And it is always evolving.

Since we now have much more freedom to choose where we want to live and work, we have the opportunity to choose (and commit to) a locale we truly care about and be a part of making it a great place to live.

But to make it a reality, you have to participate. And if nothing is really happening despite the efforts of you and others, you have to leave. You can’t afford to stay.

But you must be proactive! Citizens of the 21st century must roll up their sleeves and do three things.

First, the paradox of modern times is that we must pay closer attention to our local communities even as the larger world closes in. We no longer live in isolation from one another. The debate over outsourcing jobs is proof that we cannot act in a vacuum. We must come together not only in community, but also in regions, states and nations to create a better world.

Second, we seem to have forgotten our responsibility to work together for outcomes that benefit the entire community. This organized method of coming together has a name: representative democracy. It isn’t enough to just advocate our own position or complain and go home. We need to look for the greater good.

We must step forward in every possible way – first by voting and ultimately by serving in elected positions, or in positions where tough decisions get made.

Third, we must believe in the power of coming together to make a difference. In the early days of our nation, there was a strong belief in things bigger than ourselves. We must restore the sense that we can make a difference – on a scale far grander than mere self-interest.

Make no mistake: Nobody will ever achieve perfection. But the ultimate satisfaction of community life can be found in coming together on behalf of everyone to create a great local place.

Sylvia L. Lovely is executive director and CEO of the Kentucky League of Cities.
editorial@lanereport.com

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