To the Editor:
With a Christmas gift for Tom wish-you-could.
Let me bring light, into the hovel of your resentment. I am your neighbor and I see nothing but the hope and charity of common folk helping the little people to happiness. Wake up, clean your glasses, refocus; lay down the pen that writes with cynical ink. Look past the black clouds, see the silver lining. Engage your keen intellect; find again the golden pen of humility
Our generation allowed the negative black clouds you see.
The magic of our universe lies in the silver lining of the new generation. You are a word smith, it is a gift that can harvest the treasure of acceptance; you too can belong to the community you have chosen; we need your talent. We are gathering the historic alchemy that made us what we are. We need a clever word smith that can bring to life the story of sustainable survival, it began in the mist of time when our specie first discovered this beautiful valley and the indigenous peoples arrived and exploited the valley’s generous treasures with a culture that survived for centuries; these were the guardians of the valley that cared for their treasure. The story goes on to the arrival of Europeans and the creation of our communities that still struggle to find a similar harmony.
If you would dare to open this Christmas gift it will consume you. You will become a part of the silver lining; you and your community will be symbiotic. You will belong; and belonging is a prime attribute of happiness. Olalla has a new society; FOO is one of hundreds of societies living in the silver lining. You could join any one and be useful for they are all justified and need people of intellect. And they all have roots in the political concept of democracy that you continually lambast, it entreats innocent brave individuals, to step up to be elected because they believe they can contribute to a better world in the silver lining. You helped elect Angelique Wood, of area “G” to our district. It was she that planted the seed of FOO (Friends of Olalla), your local society. Now you need to stand behind the innocent you elected; let her feel the strength of committed loyalty; don’t let her and us be consumed by the black clouds of suspicion and cynicism that you portray. She is the politically positive thing you search for; it is not what you see that creates your attitude, it is what you focus on. Take a careful look at what she’s trying to do. Give her a break.
Embrace this gift of positive purpose let it fill your life and drive out the negative resentment of the old curmudgeon that you are becoming. Leave behind the wish you could; join us and be a “Yes we can.”
I would love to share a bright and beautiful 2013 with you. Do you have the courage to take a leap of faith?
A Merry Christmas from Joe Littlefield of FOO
Joe Littlefield, Olalla