Live with it and enjoy it
July 22, 2008 (Tuesday)
On July 10, I began a short series of blogs about the buildings I saw in a photograph of downtown taken from the 75th floor of the JPMorgan Chase Tower. Actually the blogs were not as much about the buildings as about some experiences of mine at or near those locations. Memories. I conclude that series today.
Taking one last look at the photo of downtown, I see a mixture of old and new. The old domed courthouse is still there, surrounded by trees. When I was a boy, there used to be men sitting on the concrete retaining walls holding the raised lawn. Seemed they were always there, just sitting and visiting with each other. I suppose that was behavior left over from simpler times and the depression years when so many had been out of work.
I’m sure there are many old buildings like the courthouse still standing downtown, but most are now gone. The old buildings were not as tall as today’s structures, but they were ornate, decorated with columns and gargoyles, relics of another age. In the place of the historical buildings, there now are vacant lots used for parking, or new buildings.
At the top right of the photo is the Toyota Center, a relatively new arena where the Rockets play basketball and where entertainers have concerts. It’s hard to believe now, but my grandparents lived near that location in an apartment house on Rusk when I was a high school student. Today’s convention centers, ball parks, hotels, etc. hide all evidence of tree-lined residential areas that once graced that area.
Yes, looking at the photo is looking at change in progress. The old is disappearing and the new is reaching for the sky. Well, that’s life. Houston is changing. Rockport is changing, too, for that matter. It is no longer a quaint little fishing village. With or without Starbucks, it will continue its growth. We cannot go back. We can learn from the past, and plan for the future, but the best thing we can do is enjoy today to the fullest. You are alive on earth today, July 22, 2008. It’s your time. It’s your day. With God’s help, it can be a great day. May it be so.