I am thankful that members of advisory councils will serve as

The words of Katie Hill echo with the wisdom of ages, though they arise in the context of governance and service to community. She speaks of the members of advisory councils, describing them as “boots on the ground”, those who walk not in distant halls of power, but in the very streets, homes, and schools of the people. To her, their purpose is not abstract or lofty, but rooted in the soil of daily life, carrying upward the feedback, recommendations, and wisdom of those whom policies most directly touch. This is a declaration of gratitude, but also a recognition of an eternal truth: that power must be grounded in the voices of the people, lest it become hollow and detached.

For in every age, rulers have faced the temptation to govern from above, to speak from palaces and fortresses without hearing the cries of the village. Yet the strongest leaders are those who open their ears to the humble, and who seek counsel not only from scholars and generals, but from shepherds, farmers, workers, and neighbors. In calling council members “boots on the ground,” Katie Hill honors the sacred role of the messenger who carries the voice of the many into the ears of the few who decide. It is a reminder that true governance is not domination, but service.

Consider the example of the Roman Republic. In its earliest days, power was held tightly by patricians, those of noble birth. Yet when the plebeians cried out for their share of justice, the Tribunes were established—representatives chosen from among the common folk, empowered to speak and to veto in their name. The Senate was mighty, but without the Tribunes to channel the lived struggles of the people, the Republic could not have endured. Just as advisory councils today serve to carry truth from the community to the district, so too did the Tribunes serve as boots on the ground, safeguarding the balance between power and the people.

The metaphor itself is heroic and earthy. Boots are not garments of luxury; they are worn by those who labor, who march, who endure mud and dust. To call the council members boots on the ground is to honor their closeness to the struggle, their willingness to tread the uneven paths of lived experience, rather than remaining distant in ivory towers. Such language elevates their service to the level of warriors—not warriors of conquest, but warriors of truth, guardians of the community’s voice.

This quote carries another layer of wisdom: the acknowledgment that policies and programs are only as strong as the reality they serve. A law written in silence, without listening to the governed, is like a tree planted without roots—it may stand briefly, but the first storm will bring it low. Yet when decisions grow out of the soil of real feedback, they gain endurance. Katie Hill’s gratitude reveals her understanding that governance must be nourished by the people, just as a lamp must be fueled by oil to continue shining.

From this teaching arises a clear lesson for us all: whether in the halls of power, in families, or in the smallest circles of friendship, one must seek the counsel of others. Pride deafens, but humility hears. The voices of those around us, especially those who live closest to the challenges we seek to solve, are not burdens but guides. To walk wisely is to walk with ears open and feet steady upon the ground.

Therefore, let the reader act: cultivate councils in your own life, whether in the form of trusted friends, community groups, or open dialogues with those you serve. Ask, listen, and carry forward what you learn. If you are in a place of leadership, do not lead from above, but from beside. If you are among the many, do not be silent, but share your truth so that the whole may be strengthened.

The wisdom of Katie Hill’s words endures because they remind us that the health of a community rests not on the height of its rulers, but on the strength of its connection to the people. In this way, she stands with the ancients, passing down a flame that says: power divorced from the people is fragile, but power rooted in their voices is unshakable. And so we, too, must walk with boots on the ground, carrying truth, humility, and service into every corner of life.