By Michael Willard | Austin Habitat Executive Director
On New Year’s Day, I was able to begin 2009 in a traditional, cool and exhilarating way — a swim in Barton Springs pool! This New Year’s Day swim has become a tradition for our family since moving to Austin. This year, my daughters, Kelsey, Erin and Lauren, joined me in the pool. Lauren and Erin even jumped off the diving board into the old swimming hole. I can’t think of another place where swimming on New Year’s Day is as carefree and fun. (Yes, if I was in a warmer climate it could be better, but not as enjoyable as joining fellow Austinites for a brisk swim.) Swimming in Barton Springs is a great way to wash away the blues of the old year and welcome in the New Year with a fresh and rejuvenated perspective.
After the swim, we warmed ourselves on the deck of the pool and mingled with the other swimmers, young and old. People talked of the joy of swimming and their happiness of living in a community that has so much to offer. Folks said how thankful they were to live in such a wonderful city with so many natural resources and such natural beauty. Amid the laughter and delight, you could feel the joy of the collective experience.
Upon reflection, I began to think of this joy and excitement as the expression of hope. Hope in the New Year, hope for the future. Given the economic struggles of today, hope is what we all need. As Franklin Roosevelt said 76 years ago, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.”
Hope is the dawn of a new day, the beginning of a New Year, the splash in a cool spring. Hope will see us through these difficult times and will pave the way for a brighter future. It is what makes the difference for our Austin Habitat homeowner families every day.
Happy New Year!
Filed under: Michael Willard, Uncategorized
