DayeTime: A look forward

January is named after the Roman god Janus -- god of beginnings and endings. Idols of this god depict him with two faces, one looking to the future and one looking at the past.

Looking at the past is always easier than looking to the future -- but not as beneficial. You have read our “year in review” article. It is good for remembering the tragedies and the triumphs of the past year.

But what will 2019 hold for us?

At this time, there are a lot of hopes, dreams, expectations for progress and economic development.

Are these based in the realm of realty or the wasteland of “wouldn’t it be nice?”

There are many skeptics and cynics out there. There has certainly been enough disappointments in the past few years to justify a feeling of desperation and despondence.

There are also those who are like the little child digging through a large crate of manure who says, “There’s gotta be a pony in here somewhere.”

It is time to take a deep breath, remember the hard lessons learned from the past and vow not to repeat the same mistakes we have made before.

It is also time to get ready to put our backs, brains and maybe even some extra bucks into making some of those dreams of a brighter tomorrow come true.

One thing that is needed for any “action plan” is to know what you hope to achieve.

You don’t start out on a vacation without having some idea of where you want to go.

Maybe we should each write down three things we would like to see happen this year and then narrow the list until we get at least three wishes we can make come true.

For me, one is the revitalization of the Marksville Mounds State Historic Site. I’ll fudge a little and add development of a recreation area at or near Fort DeRussy State Historic Site.

Second would be a major industrial tenant at the Port of Avoyelles and/or a tenant in the Bunkie Industrial Park.

Third -- and as unlikely as the other two may be, this one is the hardest to realize and also the most important for our future -- some significant improvement in the local public school system.

This is where those “extra bucks” may come into play.

We have a new School Board, reportedly with new ideas and a new approach to solving our old problems. I’m afraid the board members will not have much time to enjoy their victory before being forced to jump head-first into the fire.

There are three things the School Board will need before it can tackle that daunting task.

First, the will to make changes.

Second, a plan to make changes.

Third, the resources and means to make those changes.

Even though it is January, we can’t afford to be “two-faced” like old Janus and demand others make positive changes while we refuse to do our part to help make it happen.