Dear editor,
Three simple words have the power to lift us up, affirm our worth, and make us feel valued and included.
Who among us doesn’t recall with a smile the first time a significant other declared, “I love you.”
How about when a parent or grandparent affirmed our effort to do something well with, “Good job, honey.” You probably beamed with a smile from ear to ear as a feeling of immense pride washed over you. You probably resolved to do the very best you could each time you washed dishes, swept the floor, took out the garbage, or whatever chore you were assigned as a child.
As I think back over my long life, I recall several instances when three simple words made me feel better about myself, made me feel stronger and more able to persevere, and made me want to do/be my best.
One instance was when a complete stranger pulled up beside me in a parking lot as I was taking off the scarf covering my bald head and donning a helmet to get on my motorcycle to ride home. He rolled down his window and shouted “You’re still riding” while giving me a big smile and a thumbs up before continuing on his way. I’d been going through chemo treatments following a bout with cancer after having lost my spouse to cancer just six months before. I’d been feeling especially low that afternoon and had hoped that getting back on my motorcycle to run errands could spark feelings of joy that had been missing in my life.
That stranger’s words lifted me and made me feel I could keep on carrying on and I rode home with a silly grin on my face. That stranger probably never gave another thought to the affirmation he gave me that day, but it had such a powerful and lasting impact on my life.
Three simple words:
Life is short – live it.
Love is rare – grab it.
Anger is bad – dump it.
Fear is awful – face it.
Memories are sweet – cherish them.
Community for All – be it!
A couple dozen old men sitting around a long table don’t get to define us any more than the King of England got to define the earliest settlers who reached the shores of our country. A sign in the window of every business and the yard of every home will show the world that Marathon County is made up of people who listen to their better angels and are the strangers who, by their words and deeds, lift up their neighbors and make a positive change in the lives of others. Community for All – be it!
Kathy Heller of Mosinee
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
