This Wednesday is my mom’s birthday. Every year when we were kids my siblings and I would always ask my mom what she wanted for her birthday.

She always had the same reply &045; &uot;I

just want you kids to be nice to one another and get along, that would be the best present I could ever ask for.&uot;

Since being nice to each other was next to impossible with the six of us all living under one roof, we would usually end up getting my mom various gifts ranging from homemade coupon books with coupons such as &uot; I will clean my room,&uot; &uot;I will make you breakfast in bed,&uot; and other heartfelt promises.

In honor of my mom’s request that we just be nice to one another, I will mention a few local ways for the folks of Freeborn County to be nice to one another.

–

Turn the lights on for United Way &045; One way to help raise money for the many organizations funded by the United Way. It is one week before &uot;Make a difference day&uot; is celebrated throughout the United States. What a way to make a difference.

The premise is simple &045; Form a team or call the United Way and they will put you on a team which will cover the town going door-to-door requesting donations to benefit the United Way.

The event is a great way to be nice to one another. I can see the various teams now, all working together to help those with less than themselves. Turn the Lights on for the United Way is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. To help, call Randy or Ellen Kehr, or the United Way office at 373-8670. (The Vikings play at noon and the Packers have a bye week so no excuses).

–

Go to a play with a friend

&045; There happen to be three excellent plays going on in the next month or so. Albert Lea Community Theatre is staging &uot;Honk,&uot; from Nov. 3 through 13.

Friday Riverland Community College Theatre will present &uot;Hello Dolly.&uot;

The third play, which I’m really excited about is

&uot;To Kill A Mockingbird,&uot; also performed by Riverland College.

This happens to be my favorite book, movie

and play of all time. It is scheduled from Nov. 16 through 20, and you can guarantee I will be attending.

–

Be kind &045; When I was growing up, I was taught to open doors for people, offer your chair to both ladies and the elderly, stand when a woman enters the room and say please and thank you.

I think this way of showing your politeness long ago started on a downward spiral.

I think if we would teach our children these simple rules of kindness, we would stop this downward spiral. I have seen some very polite young kids in this area and I want to thank their parents for teaching them these great habits.

But I also have witnessed some rude, belligerent youth who are in need of some guidance.

Give them the guidance and show them how to be kind.

Kindness is one virtue that can never be covered or taught enough.

Well Mom, I hope you have a great birthday and I hope you got the card I sent. As always I will call you on the special day and I promise to be nice to all my siblings today.

It is amazing how much better we all get along now that we have our own homes.

(Scott Schmeltzer is publisher of the Albert Lea Tribune.)