Count your blessings and open your heart
For whatever reason, it seems that bad luck and tragedy have affected many people in my life in recent months. Not just family members, but friends, acquaintances, peers.
It doesn’t seem fair because these people are young. They have children. They have bright futures. I have often questioned “why” such tragic things are happening all around me and to such good people. But I know that there is a reason for everything in life and that we should not question it.
I no longer question it because it is very clear:
Through hardships come deeper friendships, stronger relationships, a more gracious heart.
And most importantly, a deeper sense of gratitude for your own blessings.
I am thankful for how each one of these people has walked into my life, and for the footprint that each one has left on my heart.
Count your blessings daily.
Thank God for what you have been given, and open your heart to those who are suffering … because they are all around us.
It will certainly put your life into perspective.
ó Ann Bourque
Salisbury
Offended by cartoon
I am appalled with the Salisbury Post. After turning to the Sunday, June 1, opinion section, I was very aware of how little regard you and your staff have for the children, parents, staff and administration, of the northern end of our county’s schools. Your lack of insight, tact and judgment was very evident, as I was welcomed by a cartoon of a Mars spacecraft, complete with extraterrestrials, searching for volunteers to go to a place called North Rowan.
I wouldn’t have been as perplexed if I hadn’t just spent Wednesday, May 28, at an awards assembly with your own managing editor, Frank Deloache, who announced the North Rowan High School All County Scholars. During the presentation, he referred to the equal exposure that the Salisbury Post had always given to North Rowan High School. How can the inference of Martians being the only ones that would want to go to North Rowan schools be considered an example of equal exposure? I guess when you buy ink by the barrel and paper by the pound, you aren’t held to a standard any higher than low blows depicted by cartoon figures.
My letter is not about filling a school, playing in a smaller division of athletics, or test scores; my letter is about students and how they are perceived within their community. My letter is about pride in a history of years of hard work and dedication by the population in and around Spencer; citizens who understand the meaning of loyalty, tradition and the hope of a bright future. My letter is about those ready to graduate. How would you feel if you had done your best for 13 years only to find that you are the butt of jokes and criticism in other parts of Rowan County, jokes and criticism perpetuated by and in the local newspaper?
ó Angelia Bates
Salisbury
Knox’s great team
My grandson (Anthony) just finished the sixth grade at Knox Middle School. I have never had such a positive experience working with teachers and guidance counselors. Anthony was on the “Creators Team.” This team of teachers started out with Mrs. Blackwell, Mrs. Jarem, Mrs. Hofmann, Ms. Shipton and Mrs. Stamper. They put me totally at ease from the beginning of the year. I knew they would take care of Anthony at school as if he was their own child. That is the kind of care and concern they extended to me.
Every person in the school ó from the office with Mrs. Martin, Mrs. McMillan and Mrs. Rush to guidance counselors, Mr. Wertz and Mrs. Patton, to exploratory teachers, Mr. Pauley, Mrs. Wooten, Mr. Kyzer, to Principal Heaggans and Assistant Principal Wolfe ó all have treated me with great care and respect, helping me and my grandson in every way they can.
I also appreciate that on report-card night, the school provides hotdogs for supper and is open for parents and families to come pick up report cards and talk to the teachers. I especially like that, at all times, Principal Heaggans is always visible and on the front lines. Like superwoman, she seems to be three places at once. But every time I’ve seen her, she is never rushed, always relaxed and casually mingling.
I recently heard from a pre-K teacher that education is like a three-legged stool, with one leg being the school, another leg the parents, and the third leg the student. In my grandson’s education, Knox Middle School is a very strong leg on his stool of education! My thanks goes out to every administrator, teacher and staff person at Knox Middle School.
ó Mrs. Leigh Shelton
Salisbury
Answered prayers
I sent a letter to the editor in 2005 concerning my brother Terry. I asked for you to pray for Terry after his many months of being hospitalized and extensive rehabilitation. Your prayers were answered, and with the grace of God he was able to return home and to be with us here on Earth for several years thereafter.
Terry passed away on May 8, 2008. Once again, on behalf of the Dillard and Redmon families, I would like to thank the community, area churches, friends and concerned individuals for their prayers, kindness, compassion, support and thoughts as we cope with Terry’s passing.
This is another sad time in my life. It is hard for me to believe that I lost my brother. Terry was the love of my life. I once asked his niece, Audrey Campbell, just how much more burden God would ask me to bear. The grace of God and believing in him will enable me to endure.
Terry had to deal with a lot of health problems, but he tried with all his heart and soul to make the best of it.
As I and the rest of the families looked at his face at the funeral home, we all said that he had a smile on his face. A smile that said to us, “fear not, I am now free of pain, free of suffering, and I am at peace with the Lord.” It is so comforting to know that he is with God, his creator. Thank you one and all, and God bless you.
ó Patricia (Nicky) Redmon
Mocksville
Good Samaritans
A big thank you to the person who returned my purse to the service desk at the Food Lion on Jake Alexander Boulevard on Friday afternoon, May 30. I had loaded my groceries in my car and left my purse in the shopping cart. After arriving home, I realized what I had done. I immediately returned to Food Lion in the hopes that it had been turned in. I greatly appreciate the person who returned my purse.
ó Kathy Newton
Salisbury
A special thank you and God bless you to the Good Samaritan who stopped to help me and an 84-year-old woman during a wreck on Newsome Road on June 2. He provided water and a chair for her to sit in and directed traffic around the wreck for close to an hour while we waited for the Salisbury Police Department to respond. While there were no injuries, I cannot understand why it would take police that long to respond to a downtown accident.
ó Dana G. Snider
Salisbury