Mayor McGill’s wisdom

Good advice for Fort Smith’s seniors

Fort Smith Mayor George McGill recognizes high school students, especially seniors, in his town have the same thoughts as their counterparts all over the country: What’s next and is my future here?

They’re natural questions. Graduation from high school is a reasonable time to consider whether the grass is greener — or, perhaps, the asphalt smoother — elsewhere. In a recent talk to Northside and Southside high school seniors, McGill acknowledged the attraction of other places like

New York City or Charlotte, N.C. There’s no harm in that, he said.

“Why not experience other environments, experience what’s going on in other cities,” McGill said. “But at the end of the day, what you want to do is make a mature, honest assessment of where you really want to live and where you want to raise your children. And when you do that, you’ll find that your hometown is the place that will give you the most satisfaction as you raise your families and experience your careers. There’s no place like home.”

And what makes a place home? McGill’s answer was simple: Be involved. “If you serve in your hometown and live in your hometown, it’s probably one of the most fulfilling things you can do, for a lot of reasons,” he said.

His answer resonates. A sense of purpose and satisfaction arises from a self-driven commitment to invest in the place you live. Call it putting down roots, if you will. It’s not just buying a house. It’s connecting with people. It’s taking what exists and making it better. It’s knowing you’ve made a difference. McGill’s wisdom shouldn’t go unnoticed. It’s not to say people can’t invest in whatever community they move into — indeed, they should. Treating any place as temporary, even if it turns out to be, limits one’s openness to deep friendships and new experiences. It’s a lot to give up.

But hometowns deserve a chance. Do what you must, but remember where you came from. Fort Smith will reward those who invest themselves in its better future. Just ask George McGill.