Better days coming

In five days we will say goodbye to 2013 and greet the brand-new 2014. The former we do with some reluctance on one hand and with relief on the other. As for the latter we don’t know what to think.

The conventional thing that most people used to do at this time was make resolutions. They would say, for example,

“I am going to lose 10 pounds a week in the New Year” and then proceed to eat 15 pounds of roast turkey and See’s chocolate the very first day.

There was a time when I used to make resolutions for other people. I did not make resolutions for myself because how could one improve on one who is already perfect? (As expected many folks protested this approach saying that only a vain person would make such a statement.  It was, however, a statement that most would take with a grain of salt.)

In recent years I have asked some of the local folks to make resolutions for others—that is pick out a person or a group of people and say what they could do to make the lot of us have it a bit more pleasant.

I cornered one of my neighbors, Gayle Fredsti, the other day and asked her to contribute. Gayle made it rather general: spread more love and forgiveness around.  This could be on a small scale, such as sibling to sibling or neighbor to neighbor.  But it could be also on a grandiose scale government to government or units within government to those who sit across the aisle.

Julie Gay has been the ruling director at the Bonita Museum for a few years.  She thinks that quite a bit could be done on prison reform, particularly on sentence equality.  There are quite a few negative factors when it comes to mandatory sentences.  Gay thinks that there should be more consideration for the one receiving the sentence rather than the mandatory punishment for the crime.  What is appropriate for one person may not be for another.

Daughter Margaret is here for Christmas and I posed to her the subject of resolutions. I had to keep in mind that Margaret has spent most of her adult life in the legislative end of state government. She, therefore, would like to see more cohesion in the legislative process. Too many lawmakers are more intent on what is good for themselves rather than the people they serve. This is particularly most prevalent at the national level.

Barbara Scott will unabashedly state that one of her first loves is the Bonita Museum. She, therefore, feels that members of the community should be more cognizant of the programs being staged there during the course of the year.  From a historical and educational point of view there are few entities in the South Bay area that could compare with it.  She also throws in the plight of the Padres and their inability to field a good, winning ball club.  I could also add the Chargers to the Padres.  Coming from me to the owners: Spend some money, guys.  We need a winner.  Time is running out for some of us.

We, of course, already have some winners in the community.  We hope that those folks who run the service clubs in our area, the Kiwanis, Optimists, and the Rotary Clubs continue doing the good that they do for others, particularly the young of the community and the old.  The Sweetwater Womans Club along with the California Retired Teachers Association are also organizations that bring some cheer to many in the area.

We also must not forget the schools.  It is true that some of the school districts in our area have been in the news because of miscues.  On examination we readily see that this has been because of dumb decisions by some who should know better.  We can look on the bright side and see the many young people in our communities who are getting a better than average education.  This has not come about by accident.  This is the work of good, dedicated teachers who continue their work of high goals.

As for me I am going to continue to occupy space on page 4 in the Star-News as long as I meet with readers’ approval. When it doesn’t, let me know.  I will then hang it up.