A moment of reflection

By Tim Gibbons: Published by the High Plains View, August 15, 2008.

August 15 is a rather interesting day in history.
On this day in 1920, the Polish defeated the Red Army in the Battle of Warsaw. Twenty five years later, August 15, 1945, the Japanese surrendered, ending World War II. And, while not as spectacular, this year, August 15, witnessed the first anniversary of our paper, the High Plains View.
Coming to the realization that I had been writing and helping to design a weekly paper for fifty-two issues suddenly made me feel quite old, despite only being 24.
My involvement in the paper was actually not of my doing and when Toni, aka Mom, had first approached me about doing a paper, I said, “that's nice,” and made it clear that I was content to keep working as a fencer and barn builder for the time being.
Mom said she accepted this and then, not a week later, she asked me if I could help her with setting up the templates on the computer. With no thought given to ulterior motives, I said, “Yes.”
The next thing I knew, I was being assigned stories and eventually started working as a reporter full time. The curse of sneaky mothers.
Regardless of what people think, reporting isn't a piece of cake...well maybe fruit cake. From the long hours proofing and writing to the running to cover events and the inevitable hiccups such as power failures, flat tires and getting lost in Ramah (a story I regaled our readers with in a previous issue), the newspaper world rarely offers a dull moment.
But, at the same time, I wouldn't trade this last year for anything. I've had the chance to share in peoples’ lives and experience our prairie in a way few people could.
I have seen the worst that man has to offer and I've seen the best. It never ceases to amaze me that the people we place upon the pedestal are most often the most crooked and those who hide in the shadows are the most honorable.
A hero doesn't need a soap box, a person of valor doesn't need an audience and an honest individual doesn't need an image. The true heroes of our prairie are the people who get up everyday and work to make this world a better place, even if that work consists only of give a smile and warm welcome to the people they meet.
“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage, to move in the opposite direction.” - Albert Einstein.
After a year of writing, I am more convinced than ever that mankind is not defined by the trappings in their lives but by their humanity, how they treat their fellow human beings. Religion, color, creed or nationality are nothing if they are held by a tyrant and it is often those that preach the loudest who are the ones trying to hide the most.
If we as a species are to become more than what we are, we must pursue peace, tolerance and understanding. How can we say we are divine creatures when we so willingly steal, cheat and kill our fellow man? Must we continue to judge our fellows because they are a different color, a different culture or pray to a different god?
This day, instead of judging your neighbor help them. Rather than spreading gossip, point out the good of your fellows. And take no offense at the questions of others, especially if they be children.
“Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.” -Thomas Jefferson
Our nation was founded upon man's reason, his tolerance and his desire for equality. In the end it is not the politicians, the critics, or even the religious that matter. The credit for our great nation must go to those men and women who have put the responsibility of our Republic upon their shoulders, not out of blind zeal but deliberate purpose.
If our forefathers could make a conscious decision to fight for the right of every man, woman and child to be free, then should we not make that conscious decision to do good, rather than evil. The lazy fool and the tyrant have this in common, they care only for themselves and their image.
As a final note, always remember, that the race does not belong to the self-proclaimed heroes, the politicians, the swift of foot or the leaders of man, nor does it belong to the god- fearing. The race, ladies and gentlemen, belongs to those individuals who are too damn stubborn to quit.
This is our heritage as humans and our tradition as American citizens.