Mayor Elect Bradburn, incoming
Council, fellow citizens of Sandy.
Sixty seven years ago, President Kennedy in his inaugural address talked about a torch
being passed.
Today … the torch of
governance for nearly 100,000 residents of Utah is to be passed …
Let us be mindful that none of us created that torch but we
are stewards, custodians, of that torch, that flame, that light and I believe
as faithful stewards we stand on the shoulders of Giants … Giants who displayed
courage in the face of adversity and if afraid, fear did not define them.
Sadly, we have reached a point in this age of information,
where we have stopped seeking information from each other, and far too often gravitated
into enclaves, fortresses, hideouts, where we only speak to like-minded
souls.
The late Dr. Stephen R. Covey once said: “Most people do not listen with the intent to
understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
I think he nailed it – as a general rule, we do not listen to
truly understand … and sadly, this is a long-standing issue of the human
condition.
Some three thousand years ago – a scribe of wisdom would
write: "A fool takes no pleasure in
understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
Some two
thousand years ago -- Saint Matthew reports the words of Jesus as -- "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
The brother
of Jesus – would say to his flock ‘Know this … let every person be quick to
hear, slow to speak’
Some here understand this itinerant troublemaker named Jesus
through the lens of a 19th Century Saint -- Brigham Young.
Brigham Young once offered:
‘can you think of a better way to entertain someone than to listen?’
I would propose that listening – true listening – wisdom
seeking, understanding seeking -- listening -- can take on a sacred, holy
element and true listening has been advocated by voices of wisdom to counter
our natural human condition to focus on ourselves for three millennia.
I offer to us gathered here today – all of us gathered here
today –that listening is part of how that torch, that flame, that light, I
mentioned earlier is nurtured in order to be passed to others behind us …
We are only temporary custodians, of that torch, that flame,
that light and to paraphrase Shakespeare -- we – yes we here – we blessed (and
happy) few – we band of sisters and brothers -- have a wonderful opportunity to
be Giants … Giants who display courage and sacred leadership in the face of
adversity.
A path to Giant-hood is to listen to each other while seeking
information. To come out of our enclaves, fortresses, hideouts, into the light
of that passed torch, flame, light. It
is a departure from the human condition but then isn’t that departure the essence
of being leadership Giants?
Giants are those
who understand through listening and lead us above our human condition.
Thank you …
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