Dexter Iowa Community Site

Consider this quote from Abe Lincoln

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

Harvest is in full swing and although this isn’t a real “random thought” column it is a few things that have been rolling around in my head lately that aren’t quite enough to make an entire column, but too big a thought to be left in a couple of sentences. So let’s get started shall we?

1. I was at a meeting tonight where the discussion took a side road for a moment onto the fact that boys no longer dress up for Homecoming although girls still do. That put my mind into motion because I was having the same thought at a funeral visitation the other night. And don’t even get me started on casual dress for Sunday church services. When did we lose the desire and common sense to wear something more than jeans and a t-shirt to functions that we should be dressing up for? I am guessing that if your grandma was standing next to you she would slap you upside the head and ask what you were thinking for wearing sweatpants and your hockey jersey. Show a little pride in yourselves folks.

2. Two tragic events the past week need to be discussed. As many of you heard on the news a gentleman from Adel is still in serious condition after the semi he was driving was struck by a freight train. Two things saved his life in all reality. He was wearing a seatbelt, and the train was slowing to a stop prior to the moment where it struck his truck. Trains can come at any time, night or day. The railroad that runs through here is busy and will only get busier. Always watch for trains, and a reminder of a few rules of the road. The cross buck you see at rail crossings is not just there for your information, it is and should be treated the same as a yield sign. At crossings protected by gates that lower, the last red light on the gate never blinks. It should be treated the same as a stop light.

3. The other tragic event happened in northern Iowa when a man driving a tractor and wagon was struck and killed by a driver who attempted to pass him when he was making a left turn. The time it takes you to follow a tractor two miles is the exact amount of time it takes you to drive through three city blocks with stop lights. Slow down and take your time.

4. This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I won’t get started on my appreciation of the female mammary gland, but ladies, I don’t care what age you are, please take time to do yourself exams, and don’t be shy about seeing your doctor if you think something isn’t right. I thought about the close friends who have suffered through breast cancer and those we have lost and we need to eradicate this disease once and for all.

5. It only takes a few early mornings and even more late nights to realize how fortunate we are to live in Iowa. We have been greeted by some beautiful sunrises and sunsets lately. And that doesn’t begin to take into account the night time skies. There is something about that chilly air that makes one not feel too bad about suffering through the summer heat.

6. Finally this week, I celebrated another birthday recently. I started to try to remember what my birthday was like when I was half the age I am now. And what was it like when I was half of that age? I couldn’t remember much to begin with and the longer I sat and tried to think about it the less I remembered, and the more it wore me out. So I decided that since I was due for a nap at my age, that I would go ahead and take one. Which really was one of the best presents I had all day!

See you next week. Remember, we’re all in this together.