Saturday Slight

I remember the euphoria.  We had a "leader" once who left the workplace and the area----rather suddenly.  I don't think he went to a plush resort in the Middle East, but he left.

And, the masses cheered.  We were beyond giddy.  

We almost rolled on the floor with a combination of relief, excitement and hope that things could get better than what we had endured----if only for a year, compared to 30 for the people in Egypt. 

I'll never forget that day, and I still think about it today, almost 20 years later. 

Our microcosmic celebration in little ol' Sandpoint paled in comparison to the jubilation we witnessed in far-off Egypt on our television sets and through our Internet news yesterday.  

What a day for oppressed people who could feel the potential for personal freedoms just beyond their grasp!  And, what a roller coaster they rode successfully!

I remember we felt the same way during that year when our version of a dictatorial entity did his best to control us and to beat us down. 

I saw examples and even participated in some where many of the folks involved with our situation said, "No way," only to see more of the same.

But one day, the individual stumbled, and stumbled badly.  Suddenly, he was gone, and the glee could not be contained.

We knew that this change would bring uncertainty, but we were certain that we would rise to the occasion, and we did.  Life got better, even though there were the expected potholes along the way.

That's life.  

There will always be the potholes and the challenges to overcome, but when you know things must change for the good of all, there's no stopping the inner spirit to work toward that goal.

We have witnessed such a spectacle in Egypt, and it has been, indeed, impressive.  Now, the challenges will come, but the citizens of the country appear to be well equipped to meet them.

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On this day I remember an individual who was a part of our year of challenges mentioned above.  Later, she dealt with the challenge of her lifetime (cancer),   serving as an inspiration to all who knew her or knew of her.

I saw a tribute to Jenny Jacobson Meyer on Facebook this morning, posted by her sister Julie.

And, I smiled.  I always smile when I think of Jenny and her example.  Today would have been her 37th birthday.  

In her short life, she left an powerful impact on the masses, and her memory still inspires me, almost on a daily basis. 

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And, there's another friend, I think of today.  That's my friend, Rick Gehring, who's fighting a tough fight after suffering a stroke earlier this week in Palm Beach, Florida.  

He needs prayers, and he deserves them.

Rick was my adversary for several years at Sandpoint High School----granted sometimes we had our spats over students getting out of his math class to work on newspaper projects in mine----but that's not the great adversarial relationship we enjoyed.

Instead, I speak of the annual competitions before Christmas time at Sandpoint High School when homeroom teachers and students did their all-out best to outdo Rick in the schoolwide food drive.

It never happened. 

Rick had his secret methods and never offered a hint of how he won the competition, hands-down---every year.  

Yeah, we'd be disappointed that we could not topple him from that annual effort of collecting and turning over tons of groceries to our local food bank.

More importantly, though, his example and his continued success drove us all to do everything possible to bring in more cans, boxes and packets of food for folks in need.

We were pretty sure we'd lose in the competition, but we still gave it our all, because we all knew that everyone won every single year, not just Rick.

And, so on this morning when I know he's got a long road to recovery, I simply ask that if you know Rick, say a prayer in his behalf.

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Happy Saturday.