Nine Mile Run

John Moyer

We each can bear witness to the process of recovery, of reclamation and renewed hope, just as I have been given the privilege to observe renewed life in the people of Pittsburgh who, with sustained effort, developed courage and a playful imagination to envision recovery from past trauma and loss, and to reclaim their lives. Feeling small and insignificant, they begin to see the possibility of a place in the world, and that they belong here, without question. That process of healing is not necessarily a linear one. Today, the ecosystem, as the city of Pittsburgh itself, appears to be in a state of recovery. There is reason to hope, but there are no guarantees. Sustained efforts of the community on a regular basis are essential for the ongoing recovery of our life-giving waters, so that we may offer future children the chance to experience a wonderfully rich environment to value, explore and enjoy, to broaden and deepen the understanding of our relationship to the environment, and with ourselves as individuals who matter to each other. I invite you to take a walk in your local park, and to reclaim a part of your self, to restore that personal connection with a child-like part of you that may feel neglected or abandoned, and to know in the depths of your soul that, just as the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here.