Don't talk about it ... be about it.

Don't talk about it, be about it.

I've had that little gem of wisdom sort of stuck in my head ever since a good friend of mine, Scott Klarer, uttered it to me a few years ago. And while, honestly, I can't remember what in the world we were talking about at that time, those words have stayed with me, and, when I needed a little extra kick in the pants, inspired me to get things done.

Unfortunately, this proverb-of-sorts reveals a growing problem right here in Big Spring, and throughout West Texas.

As a reporter, I get to listen to people rail on endlessly about what they do or do not like, whether it's in city and county government, the school districts, crime or why there's such a shortage of things to do in Big Spring. And when I say endlessly, I'm not exaggerating. At times, it seems like people are really just in love with the sound of their own voices.

However, when I ask them what they are doing to try to correct the problem, most of them just stare at me blankly, as if to say, “What, you expect me to fix this? Seriously?”

I suppose that is why I see the Big Spring Film Society as such a breath of fresh air for the Crossroads area. In the past several years, I can't tell you how many times I've sat around with the society's chairman, Brandon Johnson, shooting ideas back and forth for different projects and screenings. And while the inception and eventual growth of the film society was anything but overnight, it was something we never gave up on.

Don't talk about it, be about it.

That's right. A few local movie nuts, sitting around in someone's living room discussing ideas for film shorts, scripts and locales, doing a whole bunch of talking. But, unlike so many great ideas I've heard from our readers and local residents, talking soon became doing.

Don't get me wrong, the society had its fair share of failures before it blossomed into the program we enjoy today. The idea of doing movie screenings seemed out of reach at several different points, However, through hard work and perseverance — not to mention Brandon's silver tongue — the group has not only presented several screenings, they have been able to make it an annual series of events.

The fact of the matter is, we all have ideas about how things could be improved in Big Spring. However, it's a lot of work to turn an idea into a plan of action, and that's exactly what we need in this city. A while back, someone proposed the idea of having a skate park in the city, and because of that, the local YMCA has a small, yet fun, course available to our street surfing friends.

Someone thought it might be a good idea to hold a hang gliding championship in Big Spring. Now, Big Spring has become the unofficial home of the U.S. National Hang Gliding Championships. Someone thought the Settles Hotel could be worth saving, and now the downtown landmark is finally being renovated into something other than a reminder of the boom-to-bust history of Big Spring since Webb Air Force Base closed up shop.

All of these projects started out with nothing more than an idea, rolling off the lips of someone who didn't just want to talk about things, but was prepared to do something about them.

Anyone that attended last week's screening of “Jurassic Park” atop Scenic Mountain can tell you the film society is leaving its mark on the people of the Crossroads area. Some of the children that stared at the screen in slack-jawed awe could go on to be the next Steven Spielberg or Harrison Ford. As much as cliches get on my nerves, I have to say the possibilities really are endless.

So, instead of sitting around and just jacking your jaw with your friends about how Big Spring needs some place safe for teens and youngsters to hang out, or how crime is getting worse in your neighborhood, get off your can and do something about it.

If neighborhood crime is a problem, maybe starting a crime watch in your area could make a difference. If Big Spring needs a teen center, let your council know, or start looking at ways to open one. You can be just as devoted or involved as you like. However, until someone steps up and says, “Hey, I'm not afraid of a little work, so let's see what we can accomplish,” it's just talk.

And, as we all know, talk is cheap. So stop talking about it, Big Spring, and start being about it. Let's see what we can accomplish.