By: SCOTT HILL
Kansas Senator 24th District
Driving on Interstate 70 to Kansas City you might have noticed some construction in Topeka. The continual process of tearing down old highways and constructing new ones is something every taxpayer should be aware of. As local hero Dwight Eisenhower correctly noticed, a good transportation system is a key component of an economic system that is successful. The interstate loop around Topeka is especially interesting because it is an elevated roadway. For whatever reason, the heavy traffic of cars and trucks is balanced on pillars that are constructed every so many feet. The fascinating part is that all the weight of the thousands of vehicles that traverse it in a day, as well as the enormous weight of the concrete and steel roadway, focuses on a rather small point. The base of each tower not only has to have steel reinforced concrete, but it also is required to have an unshakable foundation.
Watching the progress of construction during the many trips to the Capital the last two years, I was impressed by the drilling of support tubes down to the solid rock underlying the Kaw River valley. The existence of the solid limestone bedrock that the roadway is anchored down to enables the engineered structure above the ground to be constructed. The reflection on these construction techniques has a more personal application when you think about the social structure of our society. We were created as people to have both roots and wings. The importance of the roots portion of that statement was emphasized this week when we celebrated the importance of mothers.
The women of our society are rightly recognized for their amazing abilities to do a wide array of activities. In the generations since World War II, the resilience, energy, intelligence, versatility, and determination of female humans has changed our world. Women in leadership positions have resulted in both private sector and government sector strengthening. The athletic ability of girls and women has amazed a growing audience of spectators in activities including team sports as well as individual athletic events. Women have dove deeper, climbed higher, went faster, and even flown further than humans ever have before. Knowing all these awe-inspiring activities, there is a uniqueness of women that is more amazing than all of these combined.
As we celebrated Mother’s Day this week, I was reminded again of the dependency that our society has on mothers to bring each continuing generation into this world. The transfer of life is a two-person process; however, the sacrifice that females make to bring new life into this world is not only heroic, but without equal in the continuation of humanity. This in no way is meant to insinuate that men are unimportant, but what I do want to do is reflect with reverent gratitude to all the women of history who didn’t just talk about being selfless, they were. Foundations that support roadways are temporal. They are built, torn down, and rebuilt on a continuing basis. The foundation of our society has remained constant for millenniums. This societal foundation has at its core the selfless nurturing of a mother. Whether your maternal relationship is good or needs repair, you have an unpayable debt to her for giving you existence. The interest on that debt is to make your world a better place for the next generation. Thank you moms!