Opinion

Look around at what is happening in our world, our nation, our state, within 100 miles of our city, and think “this feels personal”. Guess what? It is.

It was a damp Saturday morning with sporadic light drizzle falling on players and spectators alike, but that didn’t deter the soccer game from going on as scheduled. The boys were just six- and seven-year-olds, but they were excited to be out there chasing down the soccer ball. It was a fun morning, despite the drizzle.

As we are moving into wrapping up the first month of the school year at Redwood Valley Elementary School, one word can summarize our time thus far - energy! Some would argue this is a natural product of opening a new building or that it is a natural emotion with the start of the new year. You won’t find me arguing either of these points! Regardless of the reason, it has been a special start to the school year because of the buzz in our classrooms, our common areas, and encompassing the grounds as a whole.

I recently heard that someone had invited a friend from out of town to a meeting at “The Golden Rule,” to which their friend responded, “What’s that?” Of course, they didn’t know that it’s a coffee shop here in downtown Redwood Falls. Even if you know the coffee shop, hopefully you’re also familiar with what “the golden rule” is: do to others as you would have them do to you. Variations of this ethical teaching is found in many different religions around the world. For those of us who are Christian, we recognize them as words spoken by Jesus as recorded in Luke 6:31. It’s a simple way to teach all of us how to consider the feelings of others in how we treat them. There have been many times as a parent when I’ve reminded my children, “If you don’t want them doing that to you, then you shouldn’t be doing it to them.”