"While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads...." - a line we all grew up hearing, and one that to this day, still gives us child-like feelings of giddy excitement. Dreaming of such vision played a prominent role in many of our lives and the reality of waking up to some sort of tasty candy, whether a "sugar-plum candy" or not, happened. It became proof at such a young age that if you had a vision of something, it could easily become a reality if you only believed.
As we've all grown, I'm perplexed at the number of individuals across this country that have lost that belief in visions becoming reality. Where did the child-like faith go? This morning I was reading about a town in Arizona that has visions of "tree-shaded walkways meandering to outdoor cafes and a farmers market" in their downtown. The article goes on to say "Perhaps most importantly, it could bring life to a listless downtown area."
This is a story written about so many towns across the entire U.S.A. The article could even be generically written with "Your Town, U.S.A." plugged into it many times over. However, the great thing about downtown development is that while the concept is familiar and readily read and spoken of in various cities, the outcome is always uniquely different for each city and town, each and every time. Why is this? Because of the vision. Because of the type of candy each town perceives that "sugar-plum" to be. Cities create their own "sugar-plum" made up of ingredients unique only to the town in which the vision comes from. Redevelopment in one downtown will never be the same as redevelopment in another.
So what about those that have lost that belief in visions becoming a reality? Surely no one out there has lost that belief. Unfortunately, in all too many cities across this country, the belief has been lost by those in leadership positions that have the full capabilities to make such visions reality. They've become so cynical of visions becoming reality that any dreams of a brighter tomorrow for an old downtown are too often downplayed and brushed off as an annoyance and waste of money. Should you ever wonder which cities have fallen prey to such a trap, visit a city that has had dreams of better tomorrows for their downtown only to be spoken of negatively for the fact of that long talked about dream never becoming a reality. It is not for a lack of ability of such dream to become true: It is because of a lack of believers in leadership positions of visions becoming reality. Once those in leadership believe, truly believe, things can and will happen. And that city with a listless, lifeless downtown will experience life breathed back into it with child-like enthusiasm and energy, and the visions of sugar-plums will again begin dancing in their heads, with giddy excitement.
As we've all grown, I'm perplexed at the number of individuals across this country that have lost that belief in visions becoming reality. Where did the child-like faith go? This morning I was reading about a town in Arizona that has visions of "tree-shaded walkways meandering to outdoor cafes and a farmers market" in their downtown. The article goes on to say "Perhaps most importantly, it could bring life to a listless downtown area."
This is a story written about so many towns across the entire U.S.A. The article could even be generically written with "Your Town, U.S.A." plugged into it many times over. However, the great thing about downtown development is that while the concept is familiar and readily read and spoken of in various cities, the outcome is always uniquely different for each city and town, each and every time. Why is this? Because of the vision. Because of the type of candy each town perceives that "sugar-plum" to be. Cities create their own "sugar-plum" made up of ingredients unique only to the town in which the vision comes from. Redevelopment in one downtown will never be the same as redevelopment in another.
So what about those that have lost that belief in visions becoming a reality? Surely no one out there has lost that belief. Unfortunately, in all too many cities across this country, the belief has been lost by those in leadership positions that have the full capabilities to make such visions reality. They've become so cynical of visions becoming reality that any dreams of a brighter tomorrow for an old downtown are too often downplayed and brushed off as an annoyance and waste of money. Should you ever wonder which cities have fallen prey to such a trap, visit a city that has had dreams of better tomorrows for their downtown only to be spoken of negatively for the fact of that long talked about dream never becoming a reality. It is not for a lack of ability of such dream to become true: It is because of a lack of believers in leadership positions of visions becoming reality. Once those in leadership believe, truly believe, things can and will happen. And that city with a listless, lifeless downtown will experience life breathed back into it with child-like enthusiasm and energy, and the visions of sugar-plums will again begin dancing in their heads, with giddy excitement.
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