Reading Lloyd Geillinger’s letter last week prompted me to think seriously about the question he asked…“What’s next?”
I was tempted to shake hands with his despair until I remembered the Community Thanksgiving dinner where well over a hundred people gathered together for no other reason than to enjoy being in community.
I remembered the magnanimous support for the VetDog Program, a partnership of the American Legion Post 413 and the First Congregational Church to provide help for a returning wounded veteran and a means for recognizing and honoring our own county’s men and women who have served in the military.
I remembered the Empty Bowls fundraiser for the local food shelf and the people who give tirelessly to fight hunger and poverty in our community.
I remembered last week’s cold and blustery Christmas parade and the really warm Fourth of July Tofte parade, the community playhouse productions, the community presence at the Veteran’s Day presentations in Grand Marais and in Grand Portage.
I remembered the Thursday Community Conversations on WTIP—a time for those who don’t agree to dialog rather than argue… And I remembered those from both political parties who shared in a post-election communion service.
And I remembered that what happens nationally is still influenced by what happens locally. Change can happen by how we live and act and relate in our own families and our own communities.
Will we still disagree? Probably. But it is how we work together on those things about which we can agree and how we respect each other despite our differences that will make a difference.
What next? I guess, we are what’s next. Thank you Mr. Geillinger for asking.
EvaLyn Carlson
Grand Marais
Leave a Reply