Holding up a mirror on community and country
Thoreson
As a newspaper columnist, I don’t do work that would be considered heroic or dangerous. Sometimes, as someone who weaves words, observes and documents, life can be so overwhelmingly complex, cruel or stunningly simple that words become elusive. Regardless, those moments, including happy birthday wishes, deserve to be etched.
Since 1990, I’ve written this weekly column primarily shining the light on people in our community or holding the mirror up when really amazing or sometimes really tragic things take place. I’m grateful to live where I do, and for my long affiliation with a company that trusts me with a bully pulpit to share my observations each week.
There have only been a handful of times in the past three-plus decades when I struggle for words on deadline. Today is such a time. I speak words on newsprint in the public square, sometimes people agree with me and other times they don’t. But never have I or my family worried that I might die for having an opinion. I believe in God, I love my country and those who serve to protect and defend us all. I’m passionate about an engaged and informed citizenry exercising their right to make change via the ballot box. I treat people with respect and aspire to be a kind and decent human.
This past week, I’ve enjoyed and appreciated even more the small things that have made me smile, brought a tear of joy or gratitude and a reminder that great or small, it’s all a mirror to who we are as a community and a country. We may shake our heads at the inhumanity and unbelievable cruelty we see in day-to-day life, at how people talk to each other and about each other. The vitriol can be jarring. I try very hard not to be so consumed by those things that I fail to see the simple beauty and innate goodness of the majority of those I know and meet.
These are challenging times, my friends. But we can’t let the hard days win.
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On Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., you can join the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion for the signing of the Declaration of Independence in a lead-up to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday next year. America250 in Idaho and Spuddy Buddy Ambassadors will be there, too. The public is invited, Sept. 19 at American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls, 1138 E. Poleline Ave.
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Happy birthday today to Steve Widmyer, Betsy Martin, Jeff Crandall, Harmony Conley, Connie Evans, Russ Giles, Mary Riffe and Lynda Wright. Tomorrow, Brad Peugh, Ellen Delavan, Jaimee Cox, Eric Benjamin, John Holm, Jennifer Schroeder and Debra Smart blow out the candles. On Friday, Rich Kempton, Kara Fredekind, Debbie Sala, Jeanne Wright, Brock Morrow, Marshall Baltzell and Karen Lindbergh do the birthday dance. Hank Martin, John Stevens, Craig Brosenne, Haley Walker, Joe Roope and George Balling celebrate Saturday. Happy last day of summer birthdays Sunday to Katherine Ekhoff, Stacy Hudson, Dina Hourland, Cliff Slaney and Haley Walker. Happy first day of autumn birthday Monday to Dorinda Thurman, Jerry Lyon, Vic Slater, Amy Reagan, Scott Livingston, Rosalyn Martin, George Beebe and my baby sister, Ronna Rankin Park. On Sept. 23, Laura King, Autumn Hanson, Craig Owens, Wendy Young, Patty Kilcup, Stacie McGrath, David Thompson, Sue Enright, Brian Harris, Denise Bechel and Madeline Singleton take another trip around the sun.
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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected].