Woodstock, Vermont is not where the Woodstock Rock Festival took place 40 years ago. That was Woodstock, New York. It was, however, the home of Frederick Billings who went on to own the Union Pacific Railroad and created Billings, Montana. It was also home to Lawrence Rockefeller and numerous television and movie personalities including Michael J. Fox. It is a small resort town nestled in the Green Mountains of south central Vermont. The village is small – fewer than a 1,000 people – but rich in lessons about change. It is the village I was born and grew up in, as did generations of my family.
I like to call myself a futurist and I love technology and change. Yet, to be a good futurist one has to appreciate and understand the past. My future predictions, are based on respecting the lessons of time. I often say that there is nothing new under the sun because I believe there are core elements, ideas and rules of thumb that never change.When any of us says something is beautiful or harmonious or when we feel emotion, we are just tapping into these core elements.
The lessons I learned from growing up in Woodstock are that all things do change, that having perspective and understanding the core elements is crucial, and that people are often wise enough to know what should endure and what should not.
Change is a necessary and inevitable part of living. Knowing what to keep and what to let go of is difficult, but can be learned by visiting places like Woodstock or Rome or any other place where the past is incorporated into the present and will make up part of the future.
Too many cities throw away the past with no appreciation for what should be kept and for what will give future generations anchors and values.
Institutions, corporations and familes are the same and each needs to take the time to uncover what elements make it strong, give it purpose and motivate growth. Once that is done, change happens more smoothly and with more commitment.
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