Today, l looked at a TREE and admired God’s wonderful creation! I saw how cornplex and intricate the tree is and yet I also saw its simplicity. It is a huge, beautiful and strong yet flexible and ever changing work of nature! Although the branches, roots and trunk all seem to be pulling in different directions, the tree is ONE SOLID ORGANISM and stands with PRIDE.
BLACKTOWN CITY is like that tree in many ways—beautiful, dynamic, growing and constantly moving with the winds of change in providing environmental, cultural, recreational, intellectual and sporting needs of the community.
The MULTI-CULTURAL residents of the city can be compared to the leaves of a tree. The roots symbolize the aeons of time and history that have worked to put us where we are today.
But our tree is hardly ever still. Winds blow through the tree ruffling its leaves and bending its boughs. These are the conflicting ideas, beliefs, idiosyncrasies and controversies that run through people’s mind causing uproar and misunderstandings.
But these are only the test of time, which is natural and healthy for growth and survival.
The tree needs nurturing and energy from the SUN to grow. I see the sun as the Lord Mayor of the city and his dedication and commitment to the cause. He is the sunshine that radiates energy to the leaves. The leaves are his deputy, councillors and the people working together in harmony as ONE.
This is exactly what the Blacktown Family Tree is all about— rich in heritage, more victories than defeat, and more happy memories to keep in the years to come!
(Note: The above piece was submitted to Blacktown City Council during Heritage Week on April 1996, for which Ms. Soliman was awarded a Certificate of Acknowledgement.)