Reflections on a blue bench

Sep 17, 2006

On the American Tobacco Trail today, the girls and I came upon a brand new bench festooned with an American flad and an Irish flag. As we sat on the bench enjoying a glorious afternoon, family members from the house behind the bench wandered over to see the bench, which they were soon to dedicate to the memory of Patricia Duffy Holmes.

“Let us get up and let you see the bench,” I said to the family.

“No, please sit and enjoy it. That’s how she’d want it,” the daughter said. Her father nodded and recalled how he and his wife would walk the trail when it was just a single-lane track, before it was paved into the popular biking, running and rollerblading path it is now.

What an inspiration. I’ve long thought that the key to urban planning is to have plenty of benches, water fountains, garbage cans and public restrooms. We don’t always have to wait for government or organizations to provide these—personal and family donations make for a positive change to our environment.

Thank you, Holmes family.

Anton Zuiker ☄