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The True Citizen, Wednesday, December 29, 2021 — Page 5
Ronda Rich
As a child of the gothic
Southern Appalachian moun
tains, the screeching echoes
of hard times and the bristling
sound of the departure of love
ones have been constant bel
lows in my ear.
I am no stranger to sorrows
that settle deep in the bones’
marrow or tears that flow from
deep hidden places in my heart.
In the past year, Death’s
Angel has visited too many
times. Church after church,
grave after grave, scripture af
ter scripture, our tears have left
a trail that turned the hard dirt
into a puddle of soft earth that
threatened to give way under
the weight of our being.
We are not alone. Many have
suffered similarly. We often
saw the same faces as the organ
music played mournfully and
we took our seats among the
bereaved.
Through the struggles, the
heartaches, the downturns -
and even the joys and triumphs
- it has often occurred to me,
the urgent need for increased
kindness, understanding and
patience.
It is not a resolution. It is a
determination. I have already
begun. I take a moment to talk
to strangers in grocery stores
about football teams that win.
And those that lose.
When the phone company
sends a bill that is five dollars
too much, I ask, “is it worth
the aggravation? The strain
of my voice?” And since it
has been years of one problem
after another with the same
company, the word “thieves”
often,unbecomingly, slips into
my complaints.
I am increasingly kinder
with my judgments. I have
made enormous progress in
not holding folks accountable
if they lack Daddy’s forthright
ness; Mama’s common sense;
Pawpaw’s unyielding faith; or
my nephew’s unerring work
ethic and keen eye for manag
ing a dollar bill.
To the best of my ability, I
will not score today’s libraries
against those of my youth or
librarians against the literary
geniuses who so skillfully
guided me through the Dewy
system.
Myra Taylor, Ann Dayton
and “Miss Jean” Gilreath were
platinum standards, each in-
MORE KINDNESS FOR 2022
vested in, not only in the good
of library visitors, especially
youth, but in the world itself.
They spoiled me, for I never
asked a question that she could
not answer.
The bestseller lists? They
could quote the Top Ten.
Where to read about horses?
In minutes, they returned with
stacks of magazines. Their
minds were filled with book
suggestions, both classic and
modern.
Our high school was modem.
Back then. The library sat at
the end of the hall and had no
doors to close it off from those
who wanted or needed it. It was
wide open and welcoming. The
center was a two-step sunken
area with round tables that
were used for studying or club
meetings after school.
With its bright orange and
green decor, it was my favorite
place. I can still smell all those
books and see the bright smiles
of Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Day-
ton as they greeted me warmly.
One day, I was in the back
row of books. I always checked
out several at a time. Petite
Mrs. Taylor, with her strawber
ry red hair and more freckles
than even I had, swirled around
the corner.
“What are you reading?” She
pulled the book from my hand
then cast a disapproving frown.
It was a Victorian romance
mystery by Victoria Holt. She
shook her head. “You can do
better than this. You’re smart
and you should feed your mind.
Come with me.”
In ten minutes, she had
pulled four books from the
shelves and explained why I
should read each. I took them
all. And the Victoria Holt book
which, with a sigh, she agreed
to because I promised to read
the others.
These are trying times. As
trying, in a different way, as
the desperation of the 1930s’
mountains. Yet, we should
strive toward exceptional kind
ness , forbearance and empathy.
I think Mrs. Dayton gave me
a book to read on that, once.
Ronda Rich is the best-sell
ing author of There’s A Better
Day A-Comin’. Visit www.
rondarich.com to sign up for
her free weekly newsletter.
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