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The True Citizen, Wednesday, May 19, 2021 — Page 5A
Michael N. Searles
IRONY
Diana Royal
FROM SENIOR TO SOMEONE
Irony is a state of affairs
or an event that seems delib
erately contrary to what one
expects and is often amusing
as a result. We sometimes take
actions that turn against us and
do us harm. Occasionally, our
good intentions have disastrous
consequences. A person wins
a lottery and gives a large
amount to a beloved uncle,
and the uncle uses the money
to drink himself to death. The
giver of the gift thought the
uncle would use the money to
do something useful, but the
opposite occurred.
We are a nation that trea
sures individual rights, and
love the freedom to go our
own way. In many cases, the
choices we make affect a rela
tively small number of people.
Our friends and family may
like or dislike our decision but
the consequences are of little
significance. Sometimes our
decision appears to be minor
but can have a major impact.
There have been 32,834,036
confirmed cases of COVID in
the United States and 586,867
deaths. The deaths have af
fected people across the nation
including Waynesboro/Burke
County. It has been reported
that less than 50 percent of
Burke Countians have received
COVID vaccinations leaving
roughly half of the popula
tion unvaccinated. What does
this mean? COVID is highly
transmissible and can disable
and kill. There have been a
number of people who had
mild cases of COVID that now
face lifelong ailments. Even
more serious, those who do
not receive the vaccine keep
us from gaining community
immunity.
If part of our population is
unprotected, it means that CO
VID will continue to be with us
and could flare up at any time.
We want to eat in restaurants,
attend a basketball game, go to
a movie, and have community
gatherings once again.
It was recently announced
by the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
that fully vaccinated people no
longer need to wear a facemask
or stay 6 feet away from others
in most settings, whether out
doors or indoors. While this is
wonderful news and a relief to
much of the country, it has its
drawbacks. Fully vaccinated
members of our community
have been cleared to reengage
in social events without masks,
but there is no way of knowing
who is fully vaccinated and
who is not. There are segments
of the population who refused
to wear a mask as a matter of
personal freedom, religious
beliefs, medical concerns,
those who had COVID, vac
cine deniers, or the belief that
a problem does not exist.
The good news is that those
who are vaccinated can con
tinue their lives without fear
of contracting COVID-19 or
passing it on. We can look at
our neighbor and hope that the
lack of mask means vaccina
tion but there will be no way of
knowing. A cavalier approach
would be to say, “That’s their
red wagon;” however, if we
care for our neighbors we want
the best for them.
Without community or herd
immunity, COVID will not
disappear. It is likely that
hospitalizations and deaths
will decrease, but they will not
end. When someone contracts
COVID-19, it is more than an
individual condition. There
are businesses in Waynesboro/
Burke County that have had to
temporarily close their doors
because one or more employ
ees contracted the coronavirus.
Since roughly half of Burke
County is not vaccinated, the
spread of the virus can have
dire consequences for not only
businesses but for other places
where people gather.
Being our Brother’s Keeper
is still a valid concept. No one
wants to see a family member,
fellow worker, colleague, or
neighbor fall ill with COVID.
We still should encourage
those who had not been vac
cinated to do so. There is
an irony that the latest CDC
guidelines may encourage the
unvaccinated to unabashedly
and unwisely return to normal
life. For those who leave their
health to chance, normal life
may return slowly or not at all.
The weeks leading up to
graduation may all seem like
a blur once that the stage
has been crossed and the di
ploma handed over. Even now,
though, all these years later,
I can remember the stress,
being caught in the frenzy
of studying, writing papers,
sending invitations, packing
for college and just trying to
enjoy a familiar world before
everything changes.
All of a sudden summer
officially arrives and that mo
mentous occasion you’ve been
working so hard toward has
come and gone. You recall
those words you’ve heard a
dozen times during the course
of the school year: After high
school is when real life begins.
While this is true to some
degree, don’t let talks of the
“adult world” discredit the
very real life you’ve been liv
ing. Your experiences, every
up and each down, have cre
ated the foundation on which
you will continue building,
just more independently now.
Moving forward is bittersweet
and can be a bit scary, so I’d
like to offer a tiny bit of advice
to help you along the way.
It’s okay if you don’t have
all the answers. Not completely
sure of your college major or
about hitting send on that re
sume? That’s totally normal.
College is about exploring,
pushing yourself to try new
things and learning more about
yourself and your passions. If
you’re going straight into the
workforce, the first job doesn’t
have to be your last. Testing
things out is the only way to
find out if you enjoy them or
want to run screaming in the
opposite direction. (But may I
suggest a silent, brisk walk as
an alternative?) You’ll get to
where you’re going even if you
don’t have a map right now.
Understand that there’s a
difference between a career
and a calling. While the two
oftentimes do go hand in hand,
a career is a choice that some
times overshadows the natural
gifts of one’s calling. Say you
want to be a doctor because
that’s where the money is yet
your interests are sparked more
by the culture and sound from
a language course than they are
by biology or anatomy classes.
Don’t force yourself into a ca
reer path solely based on your
desire for a hefty paycheck.
Obviously financial stability
is important but not more im
portant than happiness. Don’t
ignore what you gravitate
toward.
Communicate with your
professor/employer. It’s true
what they say, there really are
no stupid questions. We all
learn and comprehend things
differently, so if you have a
concern about something, not
sure of a policy or procedure
or just don’t get the meaning
behind what your ENGF1101
professor asked you to read,
speak up! The only stupid thing
you can do is sit back and do
nothing. Also, having a face
associated with a name can
make all the difference when it
comes down to making an A or
a B or getting that raise.
Proofread your work/emails.
While I just pointed out that
it’s important to communi
cate, don’t forget that you also
need to read those electronic
communications for typos and
clarification. Get to the point
and include only what you need
to. I for one can tell you that a
misspelled word stands out like
a blinking red light, and in the
world of autocorrect, you espe
cially want to be careful. Also,
do not refer to your superiors
as dude or bro.
Call your parents. I don’t
think that I need to elaborate
on this one.
Don’t get discouraged. Be
ing a senior in high school is
a big deal ... for a little while.
Everyone sort of puts you up
on a pedestal and then you
start all over again, in a new
place and may feel a sense
of longing for being the big
fish. You are in the process of
becoming someone even more
important, more experienced
and more loved. Look forward
to the future; don’t forget past
memories but do not dwell on
them either.
Congratulations Class of
2021! There’s so much more
awaiting you. Your family,
your friends and your home
town folks are proud of you
and are excited to see what the
next chapters of your life hold.
Go write the stories!
BURKE COUNTY BUSINESS DIRECTORY
These local professionals are here to serve you!
Air Conditioning
TRUST.
ITS MORE THAN A WORD TO US.
ITS OUR WORD TO YOU.
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706-554-7341 / 706-830-4516
COMPLETE
SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTICS
ONLY
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Electrical & Generator
502 West 6th Street
Waynesboro, GA 30830
phone |706) 554-2861
GENERAC
AUTHORIZED DEALER
R6WELL
ELECTRIC CO.
Air Conditioning
Commercial - Residential
Sales & Service
1040 Bethesda Church Road
Girard, GA
Mobile: 706-339-9343
lib Hard Th Slop Alton*'
Reliable
Durable
Clean Air
Comfort Control
Efficient
First-Rate Warranties
Contractor
HIGHSMITH BUILDING SERVICES, INC.
constructing custom homes since 1991
JOHN A. HIGHSMITH
706-551-0248
Insurance
Stacey L. Herrmann, LUTCF - Agency Mgr.
FARM
BUREAU
GEORGIA
Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Services
Southern Farm Bureau Lile Insurance Company
Office 706-554-2017 FAX: 706-554-7482
Email: slherrmann@gfbins.com
CLAIMS # 1-855-432-2567
P.O. Box 329 Waynesboro, GA 30830
Heating & Air
Dustin Rowell,
Owner/President
# A*
Rowell
(HEATBJG.S^AIR,
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Turn to the Expert*!
“Trust, Honor & Pride - Our Commitment To You"
346 Old Millen Hwy., Waynesboro, GA 30830
706-554-2665
F
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Springwood
Boarding & Grooming
706-592-0444
3209 Old Waynesboro Road
Hephzibah, GA 30815
"Caring hands for your precious pet"
Wrecker Service
706-551-3998
706-551-0876
TAYLOR BROTHERS
Wiecker Service
206 West 12th Street
ADVERTISE HERE!
To be included in the Burke
County Business Directory,
contact Roy Chalker
at 706-554-2111.
Burke Memorial Funeral Home
www.burkememorial.com
‘A Horn of Dependable Service"
842 Liberty Street, Waynesboro, GA
Family owned 8, operated
Jane and George DeLoach
706-833-9867 or 706-551-5100