Our Own Goldilocks Zone

There’s a robotic telescope in Chile that has found planets that could support human life. They search for a planet that is in the “Goldilocks zone” or “just right” for human existence.

If you remember your fairy tails, you’ll remember the story of the little girl named Goldilocks who stumbled upon a home where three bears lived. Everything she came upon was too big, or too little, or to hot or too cold. Eventually she’d always find a spot that was just right.

Or “juuuusst right,” as I read it to my kids. So scientists have gone in search of those planets that look juuuusst right for things to exist like…gravity, oceans, a climate that would support folks like us and of course Walmarts and Pottery Barns.

We’re not all scientists, but many of us are also searching for a world that is “just right.” And what we see before us isn’t. But in this city, at this time, we may be in a Goldilocks zone of our own.

Indianapolis—in many ways—offers the ultimate atmosphere for doing good things that matter—stay with me. It is a city that is not too big to get something done and not so small that your work doesn’t make a big difference. It has been blessed with city governments that welcome faith-based support of schools and jails and other things that many cities would never allow. It is also not one of many big cities in the state. It is the big city in the state and as such, any positive actions we make happen here, have a ripple effect throughout Indiana. So doing good does more good than in some other places.

Because we find ourselves in such a perfect spot we are collectively able to make an impact. And isn’t that what we really want to do? Not just nibble round the edges of a bad situation, but really change something?

I come from north of Chicago. Mind you (and Jim will interject) there was a cow pasture across the road from my house, but we got Chicago TV, went to the Cubs games, and for a special date, a young man might take me to the Drake Hotel for dinner and a show. (Home by 10:00 thank you very much.)

The thing is: It’s too big. There are too many problems. And if you wanted to attack an issue there you wouldn’t be able to do it, because you wouldn’t be ok with Chicago’s city government. They have their own ideas how to do things (and I’d love to ask them “how’s that workin’ for ya?”)

Clearly, some places have just decided that the issues that plague cities are part of having cities. But Indianapolis isn’t one of them. Our city is brave an innovative and it welcomes ALL people to help. So, that’s where UNITE INDY comes in. We’re part of the ALL people. We want to help get some stuff done, because here, in this place we really think we can. We truly live in a place that is just right, and given that, how can we not act?

Blessings,
Nancy