Former Council President Benjamin Goodwin’s Farewell-
On June 5, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson stated in his commencement address to the United State Naval Academy, “Nothing is worthwhile that is not hard. You do not improve your muscle by doing the easy thing; you improve it by doing the hard thing, and you get your zest by doing the thing that is difficult, not a thing that is easy.”
He said, nothing is worthwhile that is not hard. I believe what he said is true. Difficulties bring opportunities for zest. Hardships bring opportunities for growth and development. Every decision I made while on the council was a hard decision – balancing the needs of the city with the wants of the citizens or balancing the wants of the city with the needs of the citizens. From and through all these decisions I learned three distinct principles of life I want to share with you. I challenge you to live these three principles in your own life.
First, do hard things. All growth comes because of challenge. When we do hard things, we create opportunities for ourselves to improve. The growth our city has accomplished, both physically and administratively, has come because the mayor and city council have made difficult choices.
Second, give thanks. Science has shown having an attitude of gratitude changes the way our brain processes information – for the better! I am grateful for all the support I have received – from each employee, council member, and, most of all, each citizen who did so – over my eight years on the council. I would not have had the opportunity to serve without the support of each of you!
Third, and last, LOVE! The highest form of praise, the highest manner of appreciation is to love or to be loved. Why is it that we can love animals, love food, or love any other inanimate object with no fear to express it – but to express love for another person is a faux-pas in our culture!? If we want the world to be a better place, we need to love one another! If you wait for tomorrow, tomorrow comes. If you don’t wait for tomorrow, tomorrow comes. Let’s get started now.
Now I say farewell. Thank you for the opportunities for growth, for laughter, and for friendships. Thank you for the opportunities to be humbled. Thank you for the opportunities to serve. Consider your talents, your strengths, and your opportunities to make the world a better place. Start with your community. Find a place to serve – whether it is on the council, on a board or commission, or maybe somewhere else in your neighborhood, church, or school! Be open to others’ thoughts and ideas – it doesn’t mean you have to agree – but at least listen. And most of all know that while you cannot control what others say or do – no one can make you feel inferior without your consent! As the famed psychologist Albert Ellis stated, “The best years of your life are the ones which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”
I truly love and appreciate you all.
Benjamin Goodwin Lynnwood City Council – 2011- 2019
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