Rants, raves and reality

I need the sun, it’s like I’m a sunflower or something, I need the sun for its dose of Vitamin D and to keep from getting seasonal affective disorder. So I do, truly, love summer but I am seriously RAVING about the recent trend towards cooler nights. I do not have AC and I just don’t sleep well when it’s too warm at night, so I am truly grateful to mamma earth and the turning of the seasons that we are heading into autumn. I look forward to evenings cuddled on the couch with my cats and great dane, sipping a cup of hot cocoa and a snacking on a bowl of my sweet and salty homemade kettle corn.

I had no trouble coming up with this week’s RANT as the thought had seeded itself in my conscious last week during Fair time. My concern is about public attendance.

In the past few weeks Kimball had a band at the Fairgrounds and Bushnell had the Windblown Arts. Neither event was well attended. I attended both events and not only did I enjoy myself but those who did show up also enjoyed themselves. I would specifically like to add that both events were free to attend and only charged for food and refreshments.

So why the low attendance?

Is it that locals are quick assume to there is nothing to do in the area which leads them to spend their time and money out of town? Or is it the overwhelming negativity that permeates those who live in the area? Maybe it’s that so many are so busy working that they cannot attend. Possibly people are just indifferent.

You cannot say that you didn’t know about either event, because if you are reading my rant, then you would have seen that both events were posted here in the newspaper.

The REALITY is that we may, as individuals, have to choose between just complaining about watching our little town die a slow death and actually doing something productive to help save it. We need to remember that every little thing we do actually does affect Kimball County and that includes hiding ourselves quietly away in our homes pretending that ‘our’ community problems are not ‘our’ personal problems. We all have to ask ourselves the hard questions. How many times do you go to Walmart or buy from Amazon instead of shopping locally? When you go on a date with your honey, do you automatically go out of town? I know it’s early yet, but when you start thinking about your Christmas list, will you look in town first or will you assume it’s unavailable here? When was the last time you walked into every shop downtown? Don’t stop with just downtown, do you have friends who have a home business? Every dollar you spend in town will help a friend, a business, the community and yourself in the long run.

A friend recently reminded me of a poem by Dylan Thomas and I find it appropriate to share the last few lines with you here. These words do truly describe how I feel about Kimball County, the home where I’ve spent two-thirds of my life living and raising my children, and the place where I hope to live out the rest of my days.

“Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Those of you who are determined to live here, are you willing to invest in the fight to save the life we aspire to live?