The Helping Hands Wellspring
Clark Benson
The streets were particularly crowded that day; people on their way to and from work and parents out with their young children created a quick pace of perpetually moving foot traffic.
As Lucia made her way back to work after lunch, she couldn’t help but notice the well-kept cobblestone beneath her feet and the outline of the shimmering new buildings against the summer sky. Her thoughts found their way back to her childhood—in particular, to the neighborhood of her youth, littered with garbage, lined with dilapidated buildings, and full of feuding neighbors. She recalled a community of skilled but unemployed workers; those fortunate enough to hold on to a job—like her mother—had done so for paltry wages. What a different city it had been then! The community before her now bustled with life and opportunity.
Even at a very young age, Lucia had showed concern for the condition of the streets she and her mother walked every day. She had lain awake many a night, worrying about the poor appearance of the neighborhood and the many hopeless faces she encountered daily—the faces of her friends and family.
“You have powerful helping hands, Lucia,” her mother had told her when worry lines marred the smooth skin of her young face. “You should use them.”
As Lucia matured, she realized that her mother was right—nothing would ever change unless someone took action to remedy the situation. She started to toss around ideas, and by the time she was a sophomore in high school, Lucia had formed a school youth group that promoted community development. The group held fundraisers, organized weekly community clean-ups, and dictated the spending of charitable contributions. Slowly, their efforts became apparent as new businesses began to move to the neighborhood and employment opportunities increased.
As she took a slow walk back to her office, Lucia thought about how her decision to attend a local university had been directly tied to her desire to continue improvements in her community. She remembered walking into her internship at an urban development company, full of city planning ideas and hope. As she walked, the city’s public park came into view, filling Lucia with a sense of satisfaction and pride. Though she’d had much help, the public park had been her baby. It had started small, with a few benches, a swing set, a sandbox, and a modest fountain. Over the years, it became a community hub, a gathering place, a spot where neighbors could meet for various events and activities. It also became a place where young people eager to help the community met to brainstorm ideas for further improvements.
From her path, Lucia took in a panoramic view of the park, remembering how much time she had spent planning each area. Everything had turned just as she and the city planners had envisioned. The trees had grown to surround and shade the small pond in the center of the park. There were attractive benches, impressive statues, and a trail constructed for a leisurely stroll through the trees, as well as a perimeter path for those looking for a more brisk jog. To her left was the park’s grand fountain, with water spraying in synchronized patterns that momentarily mesmerized her. The fountain had been a personal donation to Lucia in honor of her dedication to the community. As Lucia walked by on her way back to the street, she ran her finger over the shiny gold plaque bearing the words “The Helping Hands Wellspring” and smiled.
Question
Which of these is the main theme of the passage?
Responses
A learning how to please peoplelearning how to please people
B discovering that you can make a difference by taking actiondiscovering that you can make a difference by taking action
C finding new business opportunitiesfinding new business opportunities
D the importance of working togetherthe importance of working together