4 I The Lovell Chronicle I May 26, 2011
www. LovellChronicle.com
Students must learn
to appreciate the
little things
A popular self-help book came out
about 1 5 years ago entitled "Don't
Sweat the Small Stuff - and It All
Small Stuff."
Written by Richard Carlson, the
book is designed to help people re-
duce stress by teaching them to not
worry so much about a thousand lit-
tle things at once that they may have
little or no control over.
It good advice, and the book has
been a best-seller, teaching people David Peck
how to relax, keep their emotions in
proper perspective and cherish each
other.
But as our local high schools celebrate commence-
ment this week, I want to leave a pearl of wisdom with
our local graduates: Do sweat the small stuff.
Well, maybe not "sweat" the small stuff, but I would
advise our young people, rather, to pay attention to
and appreciate the little things in life - the small stuff
they encounter every day, and then act on it in myriad
ways.
It kind of like the "pay it forward" philosophy we've
heard so much about lately where, if you receive a
good deed from someone, do something similar for
someone else.
It easy in our busy lives to get all wrapped up in
school, work, projects, social occasions and the busy-
as-a-bee lives we all seem to experience thesedays. I
once heard the humorous phrase "the hurrier I go, the
behinder I get," and there something to be said for
that. We rush about in a busy, rushed, almost pani-
cked state - awash in stress. Our graduating seniors
have experienced this in school, from the stress of ho-
mework and tests to the pressure that comes with ath-
letic competition and other activities.
And so I encourage our students to remember to
stop, take a deep breath and carefully take in the
world around you and the important people in your
lives from time to time. Bake cookies with your morn or
sister, go fishing with your dacl, or go on a hike with
your brother.
Spend some time at home rather than hanging out
with friends every night. Plan some quality time - and
mean it. Spend a few extra moments with that nice
lady at church who seems so interested in your activi-
ties and plans. She has probably watched you grow
up and truly is interested in you.
Remember and appreciate the quality of life you
have enjoyed growing up in Lovell, Byron, Cowley,
Deaver or Frannie. No, it doesn't seem nearly as exci-
ting as growing up in Chicago or New York, but there
is a bond and a caring among people in small towns
that you just won't find in the big city.
Most kids want to leave skid marks as they leave
town to seek excitement away from where they grew
up, but in a few years most will come to appreciate
the simpler, perhaps even relatively carefree life they
enjoyed growing up. I hope students will appreciate
their roots even as they reach for the sky.
Strive to always be kind. If you really want to make
a good impression, a smile and a kind word to someo-
ne will go a long way toward making someone day -
and it will make you feel good, too.
Pay attention. Listen. Think. Slow down rather than
blindly charging forward. There is so much to appre-
ciate in life. There will be plenty of big moments on
your journey, but how rich your life experience is may
depend more on the little moments.
So don't sweat the small stuff, but do pay attention
to and learn to appreciate the little things. Details in
life do matter.
2011 MEMBER
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Editor and Publisher: David Peck
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Staff: Gladys McNeil, Pat Parmer,
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Letters to the editor
Town complainer at it again
Dear Editor,
The town complainer is the ti-
tle some residents have given me;
I prefer town complainer in chief.
Regardless of what people call
me or whether they agree with
me or not, I will continue to voice
my opinions and the opinions and
concerns other residents have
asked me to address so they will
not be labeled as complainers.
At last December's council
meeting I presented to the may-
or and each council member a list
of concerns from several residents
and myself. A few months later
I received a reply letter from the
mayor. The letter did not show
copies going to each council mem-
ber and most of the replies re-
ferred to I (meaning the mayor),
so I assume this letter was from
the mayor only.
One concern listed was why
there is a 20 mph speed limit by
the elementary school 24/7/365.
The reply stated that children
use the playground at times oth-
er than school hours and on week-
ends and in the summer and the
mayor felt 20 mph was appropri-
ate for the safety of the children.
I agree that protecting the
children is foremost, but [ have
never seen any children using
the playground or on their way
to it at 2 a.m. in the morning.
The playgrotind is fenced and
very few children live adjacent to
the school grounds. Most have to
travel some distance to reach the
school yard, so if20 mph is appro-
priate there then the entire town
except for Main Street should
be 20 mph or less as I have seen
more children riding their bikes
and scooters in the streets in all
parts of town than I have seen
using the playground in the eve-
nings or summers with the excep-
tion of the junior organized sports
programs.
Of course, most residents will
disagree with my thinking, but I
am just trying to make a point for
a posted speed limit that to many
residents makes very little sense.
Another concern I listed was
about the number of police offi-
cers in Lovell. Residents, includ-
ing myself, have seen three po-
lice cars on Main Street within a
three-block area at the same time
and it was not a special event.
The reply was that it is nec-
essary to have six officers full
time and extra officers to cover all
the shifts 24 hours a day to keep
the town safe. Then I read in the
Chronicle how the sheriffs de-
partment had only nine deputies
and the sheriff to cover the en-
tire Big Horn County plus provide
coverage for the seven towns that
do not have their own police de-
partment.
• A person might conclude .that
the sheriffs department is under-
staffed and the Lovell department
is "overstuffed.
Jim Szlerako
What Memorial Day is all about
Dear Editor,
As Memorial Day quickly ap-
proaches, before that picnic or
road trip kicks off summer's start,
I would like to remind the people
of Lovell what this holiday is all
about and to let them know that
Lovell has one of the cleanest,
most beautiful little cemeteries I
have ever been to.
i deeply appreciate the cem-
etery caretakers, who give our
loved ones such a beautiful, se-
rene place in which to rest. To
them, a job well done.
Go out Memorial Day and pay
your respects to a veteran at rest
and remember, from the tomb of
the unknown soldier to that long
black wall, each one was loved by
someone.
' In remembrance of those fall-
en:
"As I knelt before that long
black wall,
I still wondered, was it worth
it all?
As my warm tears fell to the
ground,
I felt a presence and turned
around.
There stood a mama and her
boy,
So young - to him a gun was
still a toy.
He asked his mama, Why is
that man crying?
Hush, my child, I think he is
praying.
Like mine once was, he had a
strong young face,
I asked, O Lord, let this boy
remember this place.
I ask he not have to see thou-
sands fall,
That he will not have to face
his wall...
Lest we forget."
Letter and poem by
Jim Mayes
Lovell
One thing I will never forget,..
Dear Editor,
I find myself with a lot of free
time to do a lot of thinking. I also
find that thinking gives me a head-
ache. As I have only a few hours a
day to do any type of physical ac-
tivity, such as spreading gravel in
my yard - a three-week job for me,
one day for someone else and then
the rest of the day flat ok my back.
Or the day spent on Main Street
waiting for the Jim Szlemko Day
parade to start.
But my favorite time to think
is by a lake, fishing pole in hand, a
good book, blue skies, no wind and
waiting for the fish that dropped
out of school to pay my line a vis-
it. There's a lesson for the young-
sters.
I have come to realize that I
have half-heimers. I will write my-
self a note and then forget where I
put the note. I will go to the store
only to forget what it was I needed.
I enjoy meeting new people only to
wonder a few minutes later what
their name is. It's not serious yet,
I don't think. I sometimes forget to
remind people that I may sound
grumpy but that it's just a voice re-
flection from pain. And sometimes
I forget to say thinks.
But I do my best to remem-
ber the good things in life versus
the bad. Such as remembering to
re-order Dr. Pepper in the bottle
made the original way or how the
wind and rain today is making my
trees, plants and garden grow like
gangbusters. I sure do hope some-
one did remember to order some
sunshine for us this year. Or how
the Post office delivers hundreds
of my letters, etc., without a hitch,
yet it amazes me how people only
remember the one that didn't get
delivered.
I watch from my window in my
warm house as our postal workers
continue the tradition. 'Neither
rain nor sleet or snow.' The same
with our law enforcement and fire
fighters. Yes I remember the ticket
but that was my fault. Yes, it may
take a minute or two longer wait-
ing in a line sometimes, but it's
nice that I'm alive to do it.
I remember receiving the call
when my brother was shot in the
line of duty, but I remember more
being by his side as he recovered.
I hope, when my time comes, that
the good Lord remembers the good
things I did in life r I may never
get my wings.
But there is one thing ! hope I
never forget. The saddest thing of
all. Reading or hearing about how
we lost a soldier today. I may forget
your name or forget what it was I
was supposed to do, but I hope I
never forget the men and women
who gave the ultimate sacrifice so
we can enjoy the beauty that is
America. It is a debt we can never
repay. To the men and women of
our armed forces, thank you and
God bless.
Gary Noth
Lovell
What is county thinking on grants position?
Dear Editor,
This is the first in what I ex-
pect will be a series of letters that
will be entitled: "What were they
thinking?"
It is high time the general
public became aware of how policy
and procedures really work in Big
Horn County. The commissioners
of our county put in place a hiring
freeze presumably to support bud-
get constraints. That should mean
no new hires. But wait. There are
exceptions that must be made.
At the May 17 county com-
missioners meeting, the commis-
sioners hired a part-time county
employee who will now become
nearly the highest paid person
in the county, and that includes
elected officials, and full-time em-
ployees. The new part-time grant
writer who will start work July 1
has no experience in the grants
process, will work up to 30 hours
a week and be paid $30 an hour
plus benefits.
Keep in mind this is public
money and you have a right to
know how the commissioners are
spending public funds.
According to Big Horn County
policy, employees who currently
work for the county should have
been given an opportunity to fill
this position or at least apply for
it. They were not given the chance
to apply because the commission-
ers advertised for a contract grant
writer, not a county employee. We
do indeed have people working in
the courthouse who have experi-
ence working with grants. The
commissioners may give a myriad
of excuses for doing what they did,
but it comes back to the question
posed in the beginning of this let-
ter: "What were they thinking?"
And the answer is, they were not.
Linda Harp
Basin
Government by law, not men
To be governed by the whims of
men is to be subject to the ever-chang-
ing capriciousness of those in power.
Nothing is dependable. No rights are
secure. Nothing fixed and predictable
for the future.
The Founders had a different point
of view. The law was intended for the
rulers as well as the ruled. It was de-
signed to give society a stable frame
of reference so people could feel secure
making plans for the future. This se-
curity provides a high degree of free-
dom from fear and therefore freedom
to act. Such a society gives people a
sense of liberty - liberty under law.
John Adams agreed. "No man can
contend that a nation can be free that
is not governed by fixed laws," he
said.
The Founders considered that law
was a positive good rather than a nec-
essary evil. They agreed with John
Locke who wrote, "Law is not to abol-
ish or restrain, but to preserve and en-
large freedom. Where there is no law,
there is no freedom. For liberty is to
be free from restraint and violence of
others, which cannot be where there
is no law."
Joyce Collins
Principles of
Liberty
Letters to the editor
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