If you ever think you can’t make a difference, or that your input into a conversation doesn’t matter, just remember Diane Hartley.
The Citicorp building in New York City opened in 1977. It was the seventh tallest building in the city, recognizable because of the 45-degree angled roof on top. It was even more distinctive because it was built on nine-story tall stilts. At the base of the building was St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, which required the Citicorp building to be erected on stilts to avoid the church. But because of the church’s location, the stilts had to be placed in the center of the wall’s four sides. This required extra internal structures to keep the building stable whenever the wind gusted down the streets of the city. The engineer LeMessurier received many accolades for his innovative design and everything seemed fine until one day a phone call was received by someone in his office. An undergraduate architecture student named Diane Hartley had been fascinated by this building project. But when she did the math, calculating the force of winds hitting the building at its corners, she was sure it would cause it to collapse. LeMessurier re-did his calculations and discovered she was right and that windstorms powerful enough to cause this disaster hit the city with some frequency. This prompted frantic repairs, done quietly in the evening when the offices were empty, until the engineer’s error was corrected. The Citicorp building safely stands to this day.
February marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday comes on February 17, followed by a period of 40+ days intended to be a season of self-reflection, personal examination, and preparation for the good news wrapped up in the Easter miracle. Lent can be observed by repentance (through recognizing the behaviors and grudges we carry around that would be best left behind us)—as well as by re-commitment (dedicating ourselves anew to self-care, compassionate service to others, and being a good steward of the blessings God provides us all). It is important, though, to remember that Lent is not a contest. There are no report cards handed out at the end of 40 days. It is an opportunity to open ourselves daily to God—through acts of spiritual discipline or just quieting down and offering a short “thank you/how can I do better?” prayer up to the heavens.
Even small acts can bear fruit for the realm of God. Now more than ever, deeds of connection—of reaching out to others, helping with errands for those unable to go shopping, writing a note or checking in with a child or calling a neighbor—go a long way. We may not know their full impact, but then that is never the point of doing good deeds. Faith involves seeds sprinkled generously over lots of types of soil. It is words of love and prophetic challenge spoken to crowds or tossed out upon the winds. It is an embrace that enfolds a single person but potentially tries to hug the entire world. It is a hope that lights a candle or quietly sings a song, but which is strong enough to build a life on that will last for generations to come.
Years later, Diane Hartley heard indirectly how her college-level math calculations and her unprompted call of concern to LeMessurier’s office literally saved lives and protected a New York City landmark. Thank God she walked through this life with open eyes, with a curious mind, and a willingness to speak up with words of truth. This Lent and for the year to come, may we all strive to do the same.
—Randy Bush