Sometime ago, I had the distinct bounty of being part of the City of Roanoke’s monthly business breakfast. The meetings are designed to give individual business owners an opportunity to share thoughts, suggestions, grievances, or other comments as they relate to doing business in the City of Roanoke, to enhance and lend guidance to its increasing momentum of unified growth.
Emphasis is also being geared toward attracting youth to the City while providing ongoing attractions, services, jobs and other encouragement to local youth of every age and quadrant of the City. Never before in my plus years of residency in this city have I felt and observed such a soaring spirit of optimism in promoting citywide progress.
It is always a necessary part of growth to point out the innumerable things that remain unaddressed or unsatisfactory within our respective neighborhoods, but in this new age of compulsory coping, networking and partnerships, a new spirit of involvement is replacing the old outmoded divisive systems which beget rivalry and subsequent bitterness that extends throughout generations.
For centuries, this beautiful city has been victimized by such animosities, not only between the races but also by the division within the races as well.
We have long heard the adage that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” So, too, is ugliness and whatever negative thoughts and actions we may dwell upon paralyze initiative and growth – our own as well as that of others.
A favorites Baha’i passage reminds me that “The virtues and attributes pertaining unto God are all evident and manifest and have been mentioned and described in all the Holy Books. Among them are trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity of heart, forbearance, resignation to whatever the Almighty hath decreed, contentment with the things His will hath provided, patience – nay thankfulness – in the midst of tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances, upon Him.”
I have no doubt that age and experience play a huge part in my recognition and appreciation of such divine wisdom as, Lord knows, I have drunk deep from each cup and understand full well the devastating effects of “dwelling on unpleasant things in life” as mentioned in one Baha’i prayer. By no means do we suggest forgetting such unpleasant things that when placed in proper perspective can provide necessary guidance. But to dwell on such negativity inevitable reduces us to lowest terms.
Those who would tour the Downtown Market and Henry Street areas of Roanoke who have not done so lately would discover several major changes and additions. Among them are the Fine Arts Museum, the Higher Education Building Claude Moore Complex on Henry Street and the full-length bronze statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, in addition to the renovated Dumas Center for Artistic and Cultural Development, the Henrietta Lacks statue, Hotel Roanoke Conference Center and the main branch Public Library in Downtown Roanoke.
Through it all, it’s time to board the “trolley of transition,” put our shoulders to the wheel and become revitalized by and included in the accelerated spirit of hope and cooperation. To do otherwise creates a perpetual “acid (which) does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than to the objects on which it is poured.”
We would then offer this food for thought to City officials and administrators of the past, present and the future: “Beautify your tongues, O people with truthfulness, and adorn your soul with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O People, that ye deal not treacherously with anyone.” (Baha’i Holy Writings) Investigate!
