Column: News of the week took heart on an up-and-down ride

Published 12:00 am Monday, March 28, 2005

My heart has been through an emotional rollercoaster this past week. Jump on and I will take you for a ride.

One low point was watching coverage of the Terri Schiavo case has been in the news and it has been a media circus.

We have money, intrigue, government intervention, courts, lawyers, two sides on a different path, and of course, the media. My heart breaks for Terri Schiavo. Right or wrong, good or bad, court or no court. This poor girl needs our prayers. Terri, you have mine.

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My roller coaster ride chugged to a high: the Steeles and the Waages are two couples who have lasted 70 years and 68 years repectively in holy matrimony.

If you could see me, I am standing and applauding you. You inspire me and hopefully many others.

When these couples said their vows, Babe Ruth was still playing baseball, and World War II was still more than a couple years away. I point this out because in an age where people get a divorce over the kind of toothpaste that they should use, I think of all the ups and downs that these two couples have endured and my heart is filled with pride. I would be honored if both couples would let me buy them dinner at the restaurant of their choice. Please contact me at The Albert Lea Tribune and I will set it up.

Cresting the peak, my emotional roller coaster quickly descended upon hearing of Monday’s tragedy at the Red Lake Indian Reservation. My heart was given fully this week for the whole community which has lost loved ones and the innocence of youth.

I think back to how innocent and naive I was about such things when I was in grade school and high school and I cringe to think of our children today and what they need to know to survive in this day and age. Simpler times are gone and what a shame.

From this valley, my roller coaster again climbed when I saw the looks on all the children’s faces at Saturday’s Albert Lea Tribune’s Easter egg hunt at Dillan’s. I love when children are having fun and being free to be who they are. Children are priceless. Hold ’em, hug ’em, and most of all you have to love ’em.

Thank you also to all the other businesses who had egg hunts and Easter parties for all the children this year.

How quickly my roller coaster moved again into a valley. I was saddened to learn about the young basketball player from Grand Rapids who was playing in an all-star game in Duluth, collapsed and died this past week.

My heart sank when I thought of his parents and the young boy, who, at a highlight of his athletic career, loses his life. No parent is ever prepared to lose a child. A parent’s mindset is you will go before your child. I pray for this family and hope that they can find some comfort over the next few weeks, months and years.

The roller coaster peaked again during Easter mass at church, which is always a highlight. All the little girls in new dresses, and the little boys in suits and ties signifies a new energy. I think the tradition of wearing your Sunday best has long been missing, but Easter Sunday is one of the times that all the kids dress up and try their best to sit still. They don’t, but that’s OK because you know what, they’re kids.

Spring is almost here. It is supposed to be in the 60’s this week. I can’t wait to work in my yard and have the sun out. Springtime is a great time of year to get re-energized, play baseball with the kids and just get out from the house.

It brings renewal of your spirit through flowers, colors, and warmer temperatures.

This will be my first spring in Albert Lea and I am excited. You see, I come from a place which called June springtime, and April and May as two months without snow is a revelation of sorts. My cup runneth over.

So you can see that this past week has been a bit of a tug on the heartstrings.

The good mixed with the bad. If you think about it, this last week was a lot like life, some good, some bad and an occasional rainstorm followed by a rainbow.

Life is funny, it gives and takes and you never know what you’re going to get. I guess we should just count our blessings, pull up our sleeves and live each day to the fullest. I think I will do just that.

Thanks for taking my ride.

Scott Schmeltzer is the publisher of the Albert Lea Tribune. His column runs Monday.