10 Two-Letter Words That Make All the Difference in the World

12/16/2024 – Decades ago, someone told me the 10 two-letter words that make all the difference in the world. The words have stuck with me ever since.

“If it is to be, it is up to me.”

The 10 two-letter words

The quote has been attributed to various individuals, but most often William H. Johnsen. It beautifully encapsulates the essence of personal responsibility combined with the spirit of self-drive. And it inspires an immediate sensation of empowerment.

What Would You Like to See Improved?

Don’t like the way the Kingwood Drive median looks? Pick up the phone. Call your City Council Member. Knock on doors. Get your neighbors to show up and start chopping vines.

Tired of the way your HOA enforces deed restrictions? Start going to your board’s meetings. Speak up. Join a committee. Better yet, run for the HOA board.

Think grass is growing too tall in the medians on our thoroughfares? Do what Michelle Stahlman did. Find out from the City what its mowing schedule is. Organize all the trail associations into a JOINT Trail Association. Get them to fund mowing in off weeks. Then bid and award the job.

Hate seeing your community ravaged by flooding? Do what Chris Bloch did. Put on a pair of boots. Slog through the mud. Talk to the engineer who designed our drainage systems. Figure out what’s wrong. Talk to more engineers about how to fix it. Engage political leadership at all levels. Get agreement to fund and pursue fixes.

Want to see your community’s entries renovated and decorated? Get involved with the Kingwood Service Association, like Dee Price did. Spend time with a landscape architect. Present recommendations and costs to the KSA Parks Committee. Forge a political consensus. Get 50% of KSA members to agree with you. Supervise the contractor. Till it’s done to your satisfaction.

It’s possible. Ordinary people do things like these every day. But Kingwood is growing older. Along with its residents.

Teach the Next Generation

So, teach your kids early in life about the attitude and skills that make a difference. Teamwork. Sacrifice. Initiative. Leadership. A willingness to take ownership of problems. And an eye for opportunities.

Together, we can achieve anything we put our minds to. Volunteers made Kingwood great. And volunteers can keep it great.

We just need to live by the 10 two-letter words. “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

2666 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/16/2024

With grateful thanks to our elected leaders, civil servants, and everyone who ever volunteered to serve on a board or committee in the community. And my humble apologies to the thousands of unseen volunteers whose names I omitted.