By Mary Ekene

The City of Orange, Texas has been through so many changes in the past 10 years. But, in the past year alone with the great leadership of Mayor Larry Spears Jr., we have seen new businesses develop, chemical plants making partnerships and positive changes in our city.

But in all of this, it still makes you wonder why negativity is still so present among our citizens? We see all of the positive changes taking place, yet we still have citizens that continue to doubt and ride on that pessimist train. So, as a journalist I wanted to go to the one person I knew would have a credible answer for this, our mayor.

“Always be honest and learn to have mental uplifting. As long as we are honest with each other and are positive, everything will fall into place,” Mayor Larry Spears Jr. mentioned to me. “In the first Quarter for 2019, we saw 1. Progress, 2. Positive Momentum, 3. A good progress report.”

Spears goes back to the biblical story of Cain and Abel and how negativity is only prevalent if you let it take control.

“We should be so busy acknowledging positivity that we do not have time to focus on negativity,” Spears expressed. “We should be on the mission to create the environment for positive peer-pressure.”

I, personally, absolutely love this expression Spears expresses because it is the truth. We as human beings, we as the citizens of Orange, Texas, should be so intact by positive outlooks, that we see all the great changes that are taking place in our great city.

“We should be so positive that people only have but a choice but to join the positive train. No treadmills in 2019, this is the stage where mediocrity will set in. It is up to us not to make the treadmill turn into a clothes hanger.” Spears expresses about the progress of Orange.

“It is our responsibility now to be more cautious and really step up the game so we are not stuck in a rut. It takes all of us as a city to push our goals and continue to move forward,” Spears concluded.

Everything our great mayor expressed to me in our interview was 100-percent equivalent to what a positive direction Orange, Texas should continue to take. At some point, being negative and biased is only a choice that only leads to NO WHERE.

If we, as citizens, cannot support our mayor, our city council, our school board, our businesses, our churches, our organizations, our children, our families, EACH OTHER, and then what are we really doing in our community? Time and life is of the essence and God has put people in positions to make positive and effective changes for the City of Orange.

So, to my fellow citizens, let us get off the treadmills and start running the track of positive progression and growth.

Thank you Mayor Larry Spears Jr. for being a great example of leadership and humility and to the City of Orange let us keep MOVING FORWARD!

Mary Ekene Activist for Bring Positivity Back / Founder and Owner of Livol