BY: RACHEL WUMKES
Various musical masterpieces have been written throughout the years to depict the fickle enigma that is time.
“Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce details how everything needs to stay the same as that very moment. “Time after Time” by Cindy Lauper became a quintessential ballad in the 1980s. Few bars close their doors without the 90s classic by Semisonic “Closing Time” being sung by at least one person.
Time in general is just one of those funny things. Always marching on. Always moving forward and never back.
It seemed fitting as I perused the National Days this week that Wednesday, December 8th is deemed “Pretend to be a time traveler day.”
At first it made me giggle. I mean, seriously, who thought this one up?
And more importantly… why?
But then it got me thinking and, you know how I can get sometimes, the nostalgia of yesteryear creeped right on into my bones. I began to think of what it would be like to go back in time, back to another era where life as we know it didn’t yet exist.
Back to the original Surf Ballroom.
Back to the hotel on Woodford Island.
Back when cars went both directions on Main Ave.
Over the years, I’ve written a handful of blog posts as we’ve celebrated major milestones in Clear Lake. Back in 2018, as the Chamber of Commerce celebrated 75 years, I wrote this blog post about the 10 founding members. Pillars in our community who have not only been around for decades, but top-notch when it comes to supporting our organization and being partners for progress.
Then there was the article in the 2021 Visitor Guide about the glory days of Woodford Island. Oh, to be alive during that time! I can’t even imagine what a spectacular privilege it would have been to attend one of their famous parties or watch a horse race around the perimeter.
It was also in the 2021 guide where we featured a story about the 150th Anniversary of the Clear Lake Fire Department. Again, one of those things where the progression of equipment and the development of technology throughout the years is just fascinating.
This year, as I worked through my research process for the 35th year of operation for the Lady of the Lake (to be featured at the January 13th release party of our 2022 Visitor Guide), I fell down the rabbit hole on the Lost Clear Lake Iowa Facebook page. Riddled with photos and stories throughout the years, this page definitely takes you back in time.
There are a thousand sayings and phrases floating around related to time. About the past, the present, and the future. And while they’re all relevant in their own way and at their own moment and place, they all depend on one another to be applicable in life.
We treasure the past, the history of Clear Lake and how it came to be. We learn through trials and tribulations over the years in order to better ourselves for today. And we strive to continue with economic growth, community involvement, and commitment to excellence in everything we do in order to secure a bright future for our town.