Rome… Built in a day? Nope. The mangosteen tree, native to
Southeast Asia, grows for 8 to 15 years before bearing its exquisitely tasty fruit.
Construction of the basilica la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona has been under
construction since 1882. The current estimate for its completion is 2028.
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| La Sagrada Familia: see you for the completion ceremony in 2028! |
Good things take time, but these days it’s easy to fall
prey to the instant-gratification, results-now trap. The ever-increasing pace
of technology, the 24-hour news cycle, pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less—we
come to expect results/answers/satisfaction NOW.
Contrast our restlessness with the patience of magicicada, the cicada that lurks for 17
years deep in the dark earth sucking on tree roots before finally emerging to
mate.
Nature has its own timetable, human nature included. Behavioral
change, like that we create through the Communities That Care prevention system,
is a slow, steady process that builds over years. There are no shortcuts.
If we want a senior in high school to make the choice not to
drink, smoke, steal, or commit an act of violence, we must begin that journey
of prevention early in his or her life. Efforts in behavior change that work must
get ahead of the curve, and they must change the entire landscape of the
community, shifting the culture for the better, for now and into the
future.
The Communities That Care prevention system engages not just
the individual, but also his or her family, peer group, school, church, clubs,
and so on. The whole community must get on board, as seen in the creation of our
2013-14 Community Action Plan, which involved the active participation of
>100 individuals from >57 organizations.
If we want to create lasting change so that our culture is
one that promotes healthy youth development, we cannot take shortcuts and we
must work together. The payoff, if we’re patient, is priceless… and right now
we can proceed with the satisfaction that we are creating something great.
