The End of the Worcester Wawa -- A lesson in local politcal short term vision

When you live in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area, you usually have local news reports from that city.  For us, its Philadelphia - birthplae of our nation, one of its oldest cities and the 5th largest media market in the country.  So evening news is filled with shootings, robberies, murders and other crimes of big cities.  All of these are removed from our lives here in the burbs which makes them oh so easy to ignore.  Or to say, I'm glad that's not my neighborhood.

But maybe it is.  We live outside of Lansdale, a smallish town with a great diversity of neighborhoods and ethnic populations from many nations.  The local patch reported this past week serious drug busts, robbery and assaults.  A local special education teacher was indicted for having alleged sexual relations with a student.  Sure, the violence level is lower, but, is it really so different as the folks in suburbia think.

Meanwhile our local politicians argue about distance from roadside, age of local buildings, paint jobs, signs and other things of what seems very important consequence, but mostly aren't of any seriousness and are often resolved with rulings that reduce the taxable income of the township and cost it money in the decision process as well.  Its reminiscent of Nero playing his lyre while Rome burns.

Here's what I wish.  Fantastic schools for our children that stretch and challenge them no matter what their ability level or grad, safe neighborhoods and roads and reliable public services including first responders able come when we really need them. Quickly and professionally.  And, most important Governments driven by the public good, not by petty issues, campaign finance or under the table business interests.

Our local Wawa closed this week and I truly believe it didn't get to grow as the Wawa firm wanted because of petty, local political wishes and control needs.  A valued part of our tax base, a local chain store offering multiple jobs and quality service and products closed because of narrow perspectives and shorter term thinking.  Our schools roads and town will lose and there will be little gained.  It will be an empty store that drove lots of traffic to the other small business in that shopping center.  Add that to the empty lot across Skippack Pike and you realize how short sited the township has become.  I hate that.

Gardening or Hunting?

I had a conversation with a colleague who said "We aren't farmers or gardeners waiting for things to grow, but go out, find, hunt and kill our prey (get business).  Some how that seemed very distinct from who I am.  i think relationships and business grow by intention and patience.  I have had the blessing of lots of voluntary plans (business opportunities) borne of efforts previously done (composting, gardening - keeping commitments, making binding agreements).

With neighbors in the burbs, there is such a transitional attitude.  People come and go, neighbors rarely talk, even with those living right next to them.  I wonder if that grows harvest as productive as those which we actively work to cultivate.  

What do you  think?

Sitting on the edge of fall

The winds were shifting.  I went out our back door and felt cooler breezes than the hot tropical ones we have had for weeks (months?) here in PA.  And with that shift, I sensed a change.  Here in the burbs of PA, the school buses are out, testing their new routes.  The stores are selling back to school stuff, there is evidence of dedicated teachers and others in the schools preparing for our kids, their students, their life's work.  And the wind blows.

We did a short break at the beach this past week - just an extended weekend, but I did notice that there was a ton of people on the beach.  More crowded than I had noticed before and I realized it was sort of a last hurrah.  There were gobs of families.  Many, like us, there with their college ages "kids" (actually young adults) before college started.  Many school age kids were done with summer camp and other activities, so it is natural that lots of folks were there now that the entire family could gather.  And yet, even in the screams of the toddlers, vague flirting of the teens, and overly patient looks from the college kids, there was a wind of change.

Each of us must find our path forward.  As Dylan and The Birds said, To Every Season, Turn, Turn, Turn.  Each of us must find out what turns are in front of us.  And maybe we need to follow our kids or, maybe, they are our canaries in a coal mine.  Telling us, warning us, to move forward..

For us adults in the bosom of suburbia, we need to move forward and follow this cycle from summer into fall and look forward.  For as much fun as our summer was, the clock moves forward and we too, like our children, must step into the grades, challenges, fun, challenges (repeat intentional) and unknowns of the fall that comes onto us all.

Go forth boldly!!  Its what we need to do and in that boldness will be opportunities, some challenges, and maybe, some fun.