Give me strength
London, ON, October 2007 [Click to embiggen]
The scene: The construction site of our new elementary school that's scheduled to open next September. It's a big deal for our little community and a big deal for our kids, who ooh and aah over "their" school every time we drive by the construction site.
It's a quiet Sunday and I happen to be in the neighborhood with our two youngest. Because we have a bit of time to kill, I park the car nearby and we wander around the edge of the fenced in area. They've parked the big machines just outside, so we can walk right up to them and gape at their filthy gigantism.
It takes a lot of disparate elements to build a school. But some are more critical than others. As I stare at this large crank-like thing on a big digging machine (can't you tell I'm an expert in these things?) I decide that this is where the story is focused. So much potential, so much future growth, all revolving around a pivotal part of a pivotal machine that routinely flexes its mechanical muscles without so much as a second glance from those who will ultimately benefit.
I guess I just wanted our kids to get that chance to look, wonder and dream about what will be.
Your turn: Pivotal things. Pivotal people. Please discuss.
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14 comments:
Long ago, Archimedes is said to have said "Give me a long enough lever, and a place to rest it, and I can move the world". Sometimes I think that there are individuals who have long levers, and others who have spectacular places to rest them. Often, the best teachers are among them:-)
Michele sent me this time,
N.
Having good quality teachers is more important than a building, especially as the buildings seem to act as little more than prisons these days.
Education. Nothing can replace that. In India, we are still struggling with primary education. Lack of teachers, buildings, infrastructure.
Michele must have similar thoughts about education.
BTW, here I used the URL option. It is back! Clicking on my name reaches my blog!
It worked! You did fine!
those big diggy things never seem to stay very clean, do they? Did either of your kiddos seem to want to play in the dirt with one of them?
...and Hello, Michele sent me.
When I was a kid we used to climb all over the construction equipment after hours, imagining that we were digging monstrous holes in the dirt to bury all our enemies. I am ashamed to say that we also used to unscrew the black balls that were on the ends of the control levers and take them home. There were probably lots of construction workers cussing us on Monday mornings when they came to work. "Where's my knob?!"
Hi - I just stopped by (Michele sent me!) Great site - I love the water/ice picture you have on a previous post...
this picture reminds me of my dad. he used to be a heavy machine operator and would often bring me to the job sites to let me climb on the big tractors and such.
michele sent me over this morning.
Reminds me of a knee joint from which one can jump. Lots of pivotal changes happened in Floyd this year. The latest personal one is that my youngest son and his wife are expecting. This is a first for me...I can't even say the word...begins with G. Maybe I'll call the new baby my G.Whiz!
Michele sent me north to see you, Carmi.
That picture reminds me of a knee joint on a very old and creaky robot. From a science fiction film, I guess.
I try to avoid pivotal locations and events, Carmi. That's where trouble usually starts!
Michele sent me to see your latest artwork.
That photo is stunning - I think the monochrome adds so much to the image.
One of my pivotal people is cyberkitten - he showed me that people can love me for the way I am, not the way I think people want me to me.
cq
Piviotal people...hmmm...sometimes we are the piviotal people who go about bringing change by choosing something we believe in or by taking a stand for something ...just a thought...
"Mike Mulligan and His Steam
Shovel" is what came to mind when I saw your photo. The moment it was realized that after all the years of hard work, the machine could no longer be useful in its intended way - and then the glorious moment when that changed. I wonder if Michele first had that book read to her on Captain Kangaroo as I did...?
Oh man, we just got Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel two years ago for my daughter. Great book that I hadn't seen since kindergarten.
Great pic as always.
Michele sent me.
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