Alva James-Johnson: Some things we take for granted

When I first moved to Columbus, I planned to take advantage of all the cultural amenities.

I was excited to see the Springer Opera House, the Columbus Museum of Art, the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts and the Riverside Theater. What I liked most about the cultural landscape was that it was affordable and parking wasn't a problem like it is in bigger cities.

But now, more than two years later, I'm still talking about all the things I'm going to do one day.

That's how it is when you live in a city. Sometimes you take things for granted because you think they will always be there.

I did the same thing growing up in New York. I didn't participate in half of the activities that tourists experienced, and I missed out on all the fun.

That's what came to mind this week after speaking with Mercedes Parham, media and marketing manager at the Columbus Museum on Wynnton Road.

Mercedes told me about all the things going on at the museum, such as the "Two Republics: 17th Century Dutch & 19th Century American Art for the Common Man" exhibit that runs through Jan. 11.

She went on to explain that the arts bring people together -- regardless of race or socio-economic backgrounds -- because they reflect the intersections of life that affect all humanity. Her words caught my attention, and I wanted to learn more.

"In this world, most people are taught to think from a binary perspective," she said. "They think black or white, or Democrat or Republican. But really in life, we live on a spectrum. You walk into a place like a museum or some other cultural art institution, and you can leave those binaries behind."

Mercedes, I found out, is 27 years old. She grew up in Columbus and is a 2005 graduate of Shaw High School.

In 2009, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree in communications studies and rhetoric. Then she went to work in community development at the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. She started working at the museum in January.

Mercedes said she enjoyed going to the museum as a child, even volunteered there and participated in spelling bees. But as she grew older, she became distracted by other aspects of life and began to neglect her passion for the arts.

"I have been guilty of not visiting the museum, or not supporting it enough, and I go back and remember my childhood," she said. "I remember that some of my brightest moments were there."

And thanks to the generosity of Columbus' philanthropic community, the museum is free.

That's what's so great about Columbus. Parents can expose their children to the arts without having to worry about how much it costs. Hopefully we won't take it for granted.

Where else can you find such a good deal?

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 11:01 PM with the headline "Alva James-Johnson: Some things we take for granted."