Anyone who has been reading my blogs for WKXL over the past few months has a pretty good idea about the way I feel about Concord. In more than 50 years I have amassed a great many memories and experiences in our community and for me one of the best parts about getting older is the fearlessness you can develop in speaking out about something you believe in. I believe in our city, its people and its future.
Years ago I was more concerned about what others would think if I expressed an opinion that might be at odds with the “norm” or what passed as “normal”. Children were expected to be seen and not heard and that philosophy was reinforced certainly in the Parochial Schools I attended in Concord.
In the 50’s and 60’s it was not unusual for family members to help shape and mold the direction your life would take – clearly out of love or wishing to help you avoid disappointments or failure. The career dreams I held were considered too far-fetched and impossible to achieve.
“Paul you are not special enough, talented enough or gifted enough to be a writer or to go to California and make a mark in the entertainment business. Don’t aim so high. You need to resolve to just “settle for”, I was repeatedly told by teachers and guidance counselors and those in charge.
I was urged to find a nice job with the State, work for 40 years and perhaps retire with a nice gold watch.
I actually did the job with the State of New Hampshire, spending nearly 3 years working in the Motor Vehicle Department and enjoying the people but finding the job stifling.
At Bishop Brady High School my English teacher in 11th grade, Harvey Smith, had entrusted me to not only write the class play, “Scatterbrain”, but allowed me to direct it and star in it. He believed I had a gift for writing and encouraged me.
The play was well-received and I continued to write, on the sly, often turning books I loved into screenplays and frequently creating by own stories that were limited only by imagination. Expressing myself on the written page provided me the same exhilaration that others found playing sports, tinkering with cars or dreaming of becoming an astronaut.
It was always my feeling that even if you failed at something you tried, you at least made the effort and learned something from the experience. It helped develop character and an inner strength that would serve you throughout life. After all, nobody has an easy ride of it – there are always obstacles – but honing your inner resources can make the trip a bit easier.
I was also a fervent believer in experiencing, fully, the city I lived in. I didn’t want to be a casual observer, or sleep walk through my life. I wanted to absorb my surroundings and actively participate in the countless aspects of Concord, New Hampshire.
I remember the larger than life character of Auntie Mame announcing that “Life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving”. I carried her message around for years as I began to understand how the culture and artistic climate of our community as well as the diverse and fascinating populace made Concord a very unique world. If you probed beneath the service and opened yourself up to the city, the benefits were tremendous.
For more than a quarter century, working at the Concord Theatre, I was able to meet almost everyone who lived in Concord during those years, gaining an understanding of what people living here feel, think and care about. It was like a wonderful education in what makes each of us unique and individual and certainly triggered my desire to volunteer on numerous non-profit Boards in Concord.
WKXL is now giving me the chance to host a weekly program entitled, “Downtown Dialogues” and I have enthusiastically accepted, recognizing the endless possibilities to further tout a city I love. It also gives me the opportunity to help listeners understand why I feel so strongly about Concord.
I hope to make the program entertaining, informative and enlightening to those who tune in. I want to share some historical perspective about Concord, and certainly the Concord that I have known. I also want to bring awareness about the tremendous artistic and cultural opportunities that the area has to offer.
Finally, I want to share with listeners some of the fascinating people that contribute to making Concord the best place to live. Some may be names that are familiar but others may not be instantly recognizable but I promise you that by the time you finish hearing their story, you’ll want to know more.
“Downtown Dialogues” will be broadcast on Tuesdays at 3 PM and I hope you’ll give it a try.
