There is a common problem with foundational beginnings of most institutions. They make decisions for the now and rarely think or act in large terms. Most decision making tends to only relate and benefit the current tenured positions with no thought of how, or if, this decision will affect others long after. If one will look, however, at lasting institutions one will find a common denominator. They have a sustainable fundamental idea or culture that guides them. Look at the founding fathers. They were not here to lead or inspire us yet the union is still here. They left us something greater than themselves. They left a vision (embodied in our Constitution) that would transcend long after them. “These values of freedom will live out to the thousand thousandth generation” Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration of Independence (We hold these truths) and The Constitution (We, the people) has a large enough foresight to outlive the writers life time and they knew it. If this young nation was to survive they had to act upon a trans-generational movement that is still developing. It is today pushing toward the ideals of liberty and freedom because of their intentional forethought and vision.
You can apply the same principle to our restoration field. To sustain and maintain these standing icons one must work with the mindset that future generations need to experience this. The seventies was a notorious generation that tore down much of what was built. Some great and wonderful monuments that are now gone and will never be enjoyed again. And those that remain standing were left in great disrepair. But the buildings that were built with a lasting idea call out to us to bring them back to life. Walls with two foot thick granite speak to us. “I’m here to stay. Build something great." This is why the cube modern buildings of the seventies will never in the future be restored. They were not built to last. They were built on selfish, un-sustaining ideas. They do not call out to us. They remain silent and will end up on the ash heap of history with only a small mention of what they did not accomplish.
There seems to be a demanded respect for lasting things as well. “Working on translating the Holy Word to English is like working on a home’s electrical system with the power left on.” William Tyndale. There is an unexplainable power that radiates from these lasting foundations that demands ones attention and respect. It’s like it has a beating heart and if a wrong move is made it could be fatal. No one wants to go down in history as one who added in the death of something worthy. There sets a winged lion fountain in downtown Savannah Georgia. It dates back before the Civil War. And one day a drunk got behind the wheel of a car and unintentionally gets to be known forever as the drunk that ran over a public treasure. Now it could be worse. He could have taken a human life instead. But the action did not warrant lasting effort. That decision was not based on anything but temporal.
Furthermore, to overcome the challenges that someone will face (and they will come) one must rely on something greater that the temporal. In whatever we are pursuing, the strength to carry on in spite of adversity can be found in the work of building for something other than yourself. To live out ones pursuits with a foundational mind set will carry you though much pain. And the reason there is painstaking effort in foundational building is because we live in a world were decay is constant. There is a never ending battle between destruction and construction, between death and life. It is a worthy pursuit to engage ones pursuits in this epic battle.
You must build beyond yourself. It is a testament to greatness, and your personal willingness to create things that last, to reach way beyond your time and make every effort to ask the following questions.
Does this action have any effect on the future? If so, how far or long will it reach?
If this decision is made will it be a hindrance to any future growth or damage, any cultural held ideals?
Is there a way to make this particular action help later down the line?
What footsteps can I take today that will serve as stepping stones way after I’m gone?
So this is how to build. One must be willing to make decisions that they may never see the benefit from. To take action in a way that one will never see the harvest. And it’s not necessarily large decisions, but thousands of actions made every day. It truly is someone’s personal world view. Will we be self centered; such as, one who walks into a voting booth with only the desire to help themselves. Or help build something great; and vote for the sustainability of society and its ideals. This is the challenge; will we be a delinquent parent or a forbearer? What will you choose?
Come, I encourage you to join the harder, unselfish, foundational latter choice…
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