Opinion & Editorial

Counting our blessings, even on a sad anniversary

Jim and I received the very best New Year’s gift we could have wished for on Jan. 4. We were able to greet our newest great-grandson, Teagen James Stevens.
Teagen is the son of our grandson, Kevin and our granddaughter-in-heart, Jazmine. Teagen weighed in at a whopping 9 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 21-feet-5-inches long. Best of all, he was born on his grandma Gloria Edwards’ birthday.
This sweet boy was also greeted with lots of hugs and kisses by his adoring 3-year-old sister, Calliope, and joins a cadre of cousins who are going to welcome him into their midst. Welcome to the world, Teagen!

As I rush to complete my column on Jan. 6, 2023 I cannot help but comment on the second anniversary of an event that will continue to tear at my heart forever.
I was born and raised a patriot who loved my country unconditionally, knowing that it was not perfect, but it represented “home” and “family” and the pride I felt to be an American. I never put labels on my patriotism… it has just always been part of me. Even though I was registered with one political party, I voted for whoever and whatever felt “right” to me among the choices regardless of which party was represented, and I still do. The extremes at either end of the political spectrum scare the daylights out of me and the events of two years ago have proven to me how much we all need to put aside the hatred, jealousy and desire to have everything done our own way without considering the views of others. We are a diverse nation, more so than when I was a child, but the United States has always been a melting pot of many cultures, religions and customs.
My generation needs to step back enough to allow the younger generations to guide their own future. Jim and I trust our own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to carry on the values we have tried to instill in them through the years. I’ve seen so much good in these younger generations who were raised to respect home, family, country and each other. I just pray that their values will prevail, but it will be up to them and their counterparts to guide and determine their own future. I’ve had a good life … one that I can be proud, but I’m glad that I am at this end of it. Our generation is leaving our posterity a huge burden to try and rectify, and that saddens me a great deal.
May God Bless America! Our country needs all of the help we can get right now.

• The community of Lorane is beginning to pick up where it left off in 2022. The Rural Art Center’s popular Lorane Movie Night will resume on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Lorane Grange in theater seating. Under an odd arrangement with the company that provides their movies, they are not allowed to publicize the name of the upcoming show, but all are well-planned and family-friendly. A half-hour before each movie, which begins showing at 7 p.m., a dinner of homemade soup and freshly-baked bread is served and door-prize drawings are held. RAC has been sponsoring the Lorane Movie Night for many years and it is quite popular with local residents.
• This month, the Lorane Grange will be meeting on Thursday, January 19, at 7:00 p.m. instead of its usual “first-Thursday” meeting schedule which will resume in February. They welcome new membership and encourage anyone interested in checking out this strong community group to join them at any of their meetings. They will be hosting their very popular community dinner and bingo night later this month, but a definite date has not yet been set.
Online: allthingslorane.com

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