Lawrence County will never reach its brightest future until its citizens start believing that this is truly possible.

Negativity can stifle progress, creating a perception that nothing will ever get better. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Many individuals and organizations are working hard to move the county forward in terms of job creation, economic development, downtown revitalization and civic pride. They are far too numerous to name them all here.

The projects are numerous, too. The Ironton Lofts project. The RiverWalk development in Proctorville. Growth in The Point industrial park. The Friends of Ironton’s SprayGround. And the efforts by St. Mary’s Medical Center and others to establish a new health care facility are just a few.

It is easy for the naysayers to criticize, shoot down and second guess all this work. But the reality is that the most vocal complainers are the ones sitting on the sidelines doing absolutely nothing.

The community should have a voice about what is going on in southern Ohio and we should all ask questions of our elected leaders. Nothing should just be blindly accepted.

But we hope, in the future, this will be tempered with an understanding of reality and constructive input. To continually criticize every move any government or volunteer organization makes serves no purpose.

Many people scream that our region should be creating jobs. If it was that easy, those jobs would already be here.

But the reality is that all 88 counties in Ohio are pushing for the same jobs we want. We are also competing with every other state in the nation and every other country in the world.

You don’t like the way Ironton or the county is heading? Get involved. Volunteer. Talk to government leaders. Run for office. Offer solutions instead of criticism.

Lawrence County and Ironton are moving forward, but it will take dedication, patience and a positive attitude by the entire community.