At this time of the year, we reflect on the blessings that have been bestowed on us. We give thanks for those blessings. We also need to remember those that have little hope for tomorrow, and include them as we reflect, for they live in the shadows of life, with little voice. It’s what caring communities do. We lift all up and say we all are part of our community, no matter your age or economic status, or your race or ethnicity, or level of capability. We are one community and should stand up for each other. It’s the work and responsibility of strong communities of people. We lift all up with hope for tomorrow and a future filled with some possibility.
Thanks to all who serve in whatever capacity, beginning with those who serve or have served to preserve our freedoms, to our elected community leaders at all levels, to our police and fire services, our hospital and health care workers, our essential services people and our educators and faith community servants and to our many nonprofit organizations.
The list is long but let all of us not only reflect and give thanks, but work to come together as one nation, one community, who cares about each other. We need this more than ever before. We are thankful for all of you and hope that as you model the way for others, we see growth of service to and for our community and its future.
I hope you all had a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
Reflection: As the end of the year approaches, we can reflect back on many life experiences from that time, some that presented challenges, others that may have provided opportunities. We may have welcomed new relationships and or mourned with those who have lost loved ones. Each represents life’s ongoing journey, always filled with change.
It’s always impressive to me the response to loss and how it’s met with caring hearts that share some of the pain of loss. It’s what was amazing to me when our town was flooded and people showed up from everywhere to lend a hand to those in need. It was the actions of people and communities that cared about their neighbor. It’s why one asks, “Why does that only apply to those times of peril or crisis, at times of tragedy and loss. Why can’t it be shown every day as part of our community life?”
It’s a fair question. We do see more often actions that aren’t driven by a caring heart, but rather by disdain or hate, jealousy and divide, or pre-judgements and mean-spirited words. These actions lack respect for each other and clearly fall outside the norms of the behavior that we’d want to see at any level of community life.
Our heritage is our strength: Today, we see a lack of simple respect for each other across our country. We see little connection to the values so vital to being a heathy community.
I’ve always thought our town has tried to do the right thing and stood up for those new to our community, supporting those with little voice or for those not raised here, for those who may look or sound different than us. It may not have been enough, but an effort was made, as more learning was needed.
Chaska has led the way in its programming for those lacking in physical capability, our disabled community. Chaska has offered affordable housing for many years, never saying we’ve done enough. Chaska has valued the concept of community, not for a few but for all. I can only hope that we continue to be a community for a lifetime for every person at every age. It’s what we’ve strived to be.
The future challenge: So, as we’ve passed this Thanksgiving holiday, we have much to give thanks for, but much to address going forward. Let’s pursue the goal as a community of expecting equality and equity for all, opportunity and justice for all, a welcoming hand and a caring heart, a lack of bias and prejudice, truth and transparency, respect for others and that human worth and dignity will be valued.
Let’s be a community that values learning and desires to be generous with our time and talent, that values our citizenship and our individual responsibilities, that embraces faith and belief. Those are many of our community values, but at the end of the day, it takes all of us to model the way for others. It does take a village.
A time to remember and reflect: And given it takes a village, I’d invite you to a short time of reflection and prayer on Dec. 14 at 9 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, located at Fourth Street and Oak Street in downtown Chaska, to remember the 26 children and caretakers who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting eight years ago. We should never forget that unimaginable loss. We’ll ring the bells 26 times and remember by name each one of the children, teachers and administrators who lost their lives that day. I hope you can make it.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah: To each of you I wish you the happiest of holidays, no matter your beliefs. We wish you peace and joy filling your homes and the new year filled with blessings, hope and possibilities.
Bob Roepke is a former Chaska mayor and serves on the Community Foundation for Carver County Board.
