I was reading the online Times again late one night, as I often do, and was reading the blogs that have become a part of our everyday lives. The more I read, the more saddened I got. People with pen names or simply "Anonymous" spewing out more negative than positive things, blaming certain people for the state of affairs that are going on, and all the while knowing that the people they are writing about may just read the same paper that these things are written in.
What's being said? Well ...
The world is in a sad state of affairs. The global economy is in the tank; the Republicans apparently got it wrong, the Democrats apparently can't get it right; jobs are being outsourced; county board members are cowards and our legal system is terrible; and we now have too many big buildings in our community that we don't need, and one big one we need, we don't have.
So why in the heck would anyone want to live here in Monroe or Green County or the surrounding area? I can think of a few ...
Schools where we don't have to walk through metal detectors.
Numerous volunteer fire departments staffed by some of the bravest and most courageous and compassionate men and women you could possibly ever meet.
A fully staffed hospital with bright doctors and nurses who do their best to diagnose and treat whatever ails us and treat us with kindness and dignity when we don't always do the same.
A team of county board members, who at least are willing to give up their time and try to do what they think is right. Even if it may not always be, they do at least try.
Local businesses that are locally owned and offer employment opportunities and local flavors, and have the hometown attitude to give back to the community.
A beautiful Square and courthouse, nestled in the heart of it all, welcoming people, showing the heart of the community, providing the point where almost every parade either starts or ends.
A beautiful countryside, dotted with dairy farms and cornfields and apple orchards, which are spilt by little streams and rivers, almost so majestic and beautiful that one might wonder if God made our little community and area his own personal canvas of what he envisioned all of America should look like.
Not enough reason? I will go on then. Volunteer organizations, too numerous to list, that help children, or abused people, or people with terminal illnesses, or the homeless, and the hungry. Numerous parks and recreational areas. And let us not forget all the festivals we have.
So I ask you now, why would you NOT want to live here?
So, come on, fellow friends and neighbors, do we really have a lot to complain about? Is life really that bad that we have to barb, ridicule and whine about the amount of stuff that we do? I say not.
Gramps always told me he thought he had it bad because he had no shoes, then he met a man who had no feet. I always figure that if a person can get up, feel the sun on their face, hear the laughter of a child, and smell the fresh "dairy air" this county has to offer, then life is pretty good. I talked to a young girl with cancer quite some time ago, and I asked her how she maintained such a positive attitude. She told me, "Ditz, we all are going to die, I just know about when I am, and I have accepted that, and if Heaven is more beautiful than a gorgeous fall day, I can't wait to see it. And Grandma still owes me a dollar from our last card game." Her words really got me thinking after she died, that in some strange way she was kind of lucky. She had been dealt a card that was out of her control, and yet she played her hand to the fullest. I thought to myself - you know, life is short, and maybe I won't get my "warning" of when I am going to no longer be here on this earth, but then again perhaps, I just did.
So, hug your kids or your parents or your spouse. Don't want to hug in public, then, hug yourself. Talk to a neighbor you haven't talked to in a while. Visit one of our parks. Better yet, visit Pleasant View and introduce yourself to someone who may not have anyone coming to see them. Write a letter to a county board member or the fire department or the EMS, thanking them for all the good they do. And, yes, if you have to, do it anonymously.
You may think you have it bad, but I guarantee somewhere, someone has it worse. They just choose to make it better.
- Jeff Ditzenberger of Monticello is president of the Green County Farm Bureau.
What's being said? Well ...
The world is in a sad state of affairs. The global economy is in the tank; the Republicans apparently got it wrong, the Democrats apparently can't get it right; jobs are being outsourced; county board members are cowards and our legal system is terrible; and we now have too many big buildings in our community that we don't need, and one big one we need, we don't have.
So why in the heck would anyone want to live here in Monroe or Green County or the surrounding area? I can think of a few ...
Schools where we don't have to walk through metal detectors.
Numerous volunteer fire departments staffed by some of the bravest and most courageous and compassionate men and women you could possibly ever meet.
A fully staffed hospital with bright doctors and nurses who do their best to diagnose and treat whatever ails us and treat us with kindness and dignity when we don't always do the same.
A team of county board members, who at least are willing to give up their time and try to do what they think is right. Even if it may not always be, they do at least try.
Local businesses that are locally owned and offer employment opportunities and local flavors, and have the hometown attitude to give back to the community.
A beautiful Square and courthouse, nestled in the heart of it all, welcoming people, showing the heart of the community, providing the point where almost every parade either starts or ends.
A beautiful countryside, dotted with dairy farms and cornfields and apple orchards, which are spilt by little streams and rivers, almost so majestic and beautiful that one might wonder if God made our little community and area his own personal canvas of what he envisioned all of America should look like.
Not enough reason? I will go on then. Volunteer organizations, too numerous to list, that help children, or abused people, or people with terminal illnesses, or the homeless, and the hungry. Numerous parks and recreational areas. And let us not forget all the festivals we have.
So I ask you now, why would you NOT want to live here?
So, come on, fellow friends and neighbors, do we really have a lot to complain about? Is life really that bad that we have to barb, ridicule and whine about the amount of stuff that we do? I say not.
Gramps always told me he thought he had it bad because he had no shoes, then he met a man who had no feet. I always figure that if a person can get up, feel the sun on their face, hear the laughter of a child, and smell the fresh "dairy air" this county has to offer, then life is pretty good. I talked to a young girl with cancer quite some time ago, and I asked her how she maintained such a positive attitude. She told me, "Ditz, we all are going to die, I just know about when I am, and I have accepted that, and if Heaven is more beautiful than a gorgeous fall day, I can't wait to see it. And Grandma still owes me a dollar from our last card game." Her words really got me thinking after she died, that in some strange way she was kind of lucky. She had been dealt a card that was out of her control, and yet she played her hand to the fullest. I thought to myself - you know, life is short, and maybe I won't get my "warning" of when I am going to no longer be here on this earth, but then again perhaps, I just did.
So, hug your kids or your parents or your spouse. Don't want to hug in public, then, hug yourself. Talk to a neighbor you haven't talked to in a while. Visit one of our parks. Better yet, visit Pleasant View and introduce yourself to someone who may not have anyone coming to see them. Write a letter to a county board member or the fire department or the EMS, thanking them for all the good they do. And, yes, if you have to, do it anonymously.
You may think you have it bad, but I guarantee somewhere, someone has it worse. They just choose to make it better.
- Jeff Ditzenberger of Monticello is president of the Green County Farm Bureau.
