This Work is Hard
– By #MillerSD
Not every week here at On Hand is rainbows and butterflies. This last week was not easy in any sense of the word. We dealt with our share of challenges this week just like we do lots of weeks. I visit with a cohort of others in the Economic Development world and we share our struggles and victories and this week, I shared our struggles and they brought me back up with everything I need to CELEBRATE! They also reminded me that this work is hard. Not only is it hard, but not everyone understands it and appreciates it.
We have SO much to celebrate here in Hand County. We have a thriving business community both on Main Street and off Main Street. We have an amazing school system that will be open this year! We have a hospital and an emergency crew that is there for us when we need them. We have police safety for protection. We have a grocery store that provides us with food. We have churches to feed our soul. We have a Friendship Center where friends of all ages can meet and enjoy life. We have entertainment options including a drive-in movie theatre, a swimming pool, racetrack, beautiful parks, golf course, and so many choices for youth sports. We have some of the best hunting and fishing. We also have some of the most generous and caring people… those are a few reasons people call Miller home. The fact is, we have it going on here and we need to celebrate the victories. We need to STOP complaining and appreciate our blessings. The little things are a big part of why we all call Miller home.
I was in a meeting this week and someone said, “Glass half full girl and I like that!” Yes, I am very much a glass half full kind of girl and I wouldn’t have it any other way. This work at On Hand is hard work. We deal with a lot of glass half empty people. People that don’t want to see change. People that don’t want to put in the hard work. People that don’t see all of the wonderful things our community has to offer. People that complain about the things that we can’t control. People that only think of the negative. These people need to hear from us glass half full people. I wouldn’t be able to do this hard work if I was a glass half empty person.
I challenge you to look at another town the same size as ours…. Do they have ALL of the victories that I just named? I also challenge you to change the negative conversations about the challenges and the loss to the positive conversations about everything we do have going on. How lucky are we to get to call Hand County home? I want to thank all of the people that are doing this already. ALL of the people who email, call and stop me at the grocery store to me how they enjoy these articles and how true they are and how great our community is and what a great job On Hand is doing. That means so much to our work and THANK YOU for recognizing our efforts. Now, I need you to spread those kind words to others…. especially the glass half empty people.
This work is hard. Economic development is a marathon, not a sprint. Ideas come quickly but implementation takes time, and that is not On Hand’s fault. There are systems, approval processes, financing hoops, and the glass half empty people that will try and block us from making every project possible. We will not let that discourage us. East step we take, although they seem long and slow, is leading us closer and closer to our goal. We are doing good work here and good work takes time. We will continue to do this good, hard work!
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