Tree the Town

Recently I watched two movies that demonstrated the impact that one man can have on the world when he has an idea and the motivation to see it through. Invictus is the story of Nelson Mandela and his collaboration with the South African rugby team to impact race relations in his country. Extraordinary Measures is the story of a father who teams with a researcher to create a therapy for a rare childhood disease. Each of these true stories showed the impact that one man can make when he has an idea and inspires others to action.

Today as I walked the creek trail near my home I witnessed a community action project that demonstrated a similar message; it showed the power that was generated from the idea and motivation of one man, a man in my local community, Amir Omar. His vision of more trees to shade the walking trails in Richardson became the Tree the Town project, which led to the planting of many trees this morning along Duck Creek Linear Park, my neighborhood trail. As I walked today, I witnessed this Tree the Town event in action. What a great example of collaboration and community involvement! Local businesses, college service groups, Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts, neighbors, and city staffers all worked together to complete this huge task in a couple of hours. People of all ages and ethnicities came together for a common goal and had fun in the process.

I was struck by the multiple benefits of this project. Yes, the trees will provide shade and beauty for our walking trail, and that will be greatly appreciated for years to come. In addition, this collaborative approach to community improvement demonstrated the power of cooperation and what can be achieved when many people and organizations work together to take positive action for the future. Involvement in this project will impact the lives and community spirit of the children and young adults who participated in ways we cannot begin to measure.

Yes, this project was a success, and it all started with one man who had an idea and the motivation to follow it through. What other ideas are waiting in our community? What ideas will come from the young people who participated today? The answers to these questions will shape the future of Richardson.

My Friend

Yesterday I attended a surprise graduation party for a friend who has just completed her master’s degree. It was such a joy to see her reaching this milestone in her life and to share in her obvious happiness. When I first knew her, she had a husband, a new baby, and a job which required a lot of travel. A lot has happened since then. She changed careers in order to be at home more. This led to earning a teacher’s certificate, teaching in several schools, and working on her master’s degree. During this time she and her husband separated and divorce was pending. Tragically her husband took his own life. She had to put her final coursework for her master’s degree on hold for a few months.

Yet, she persevered, taking care of her son, working, and meeting a wonderful man who fit her life perfectly, a man who truly loved her and her son, a man who wanted to make her happy. One year later, the master’s degree is finished. The relationship is flourishing, everyone is happy, and she is ready to begin her doctorate this summer.

Yes, my friend is an inspiration to all who know her. That was illustrated in the stories that I heard from family and friends gathered for her party last night, joining in this celebration of her success and her life.