For those of us who are parents and grandparents, the last several months have been especially concerning. When will the pandemic be over? When will my kids or grandkids get to have a normal life? These types of questions weigh heavy on many of us.
The truth is, no one knows the exact answers about what the future holds. This is painful for those of us who want to see our kids and grandkids live fulfilled lives here in Louisiana.
In trying times, we often recall the actions of our parents and grandparents in past hardships. While COVID-19 is certainly unprecedented, our nation has faced major challenges before. As we look to the past for help in dealing with the future, let us all take note of how our parents and grandparents handled their greatest economic hardships. With grit and foresight, they rebuilt and expanded the nation’s highways.
Their response to hardship created decades of economic prosperity that we have all enjoyed. When we rightly worry about the future that your kids and grandkids will have, we should keep this in mind. What are we doing to pay forward the favors that we received? Without intentional action by lawmakers and elected officials, we will come out of COVID-19 – whenever it occurs – with roads and bridges that couldn’t possibly support economic recovery and long-term growth. That is not what we want our kids and grandkids to look forward to.
Building roads is an investment in the future. Among all the uncertainties of COVID-19, one thing we can be certain about is that fixing our roads and bridges would serve our “new normal” very well, whenever it arrives. Our kids and grandkids would benefit and be grateful.