| Letters
to the editor from this week's Chronicle:
To the Editor I miss soccer practice with the elementary kids, even though my feet still hurt, I never felt any pain when I was running around with those little girls and boys. I miss the soccer games when the kids played their parents. I miss watching those kids grow up into quality athletes, team members and even State Champions. I miss officiating sports, although my body aches from the years of abuse I put it through running up and down the court, some of my most memorable times were being on the court or field with our prairie teams. Believe it or not, I miss substitute teaching, those were the best of times and the worst of times… I miss writing the pastor’s pen, although the space in the Chronicle has been more than adequately filled it remains a unfilled void in my life. I miss the time I spent on the school board and my time on the booster club. I miss selling 50/50 tickets, announcing the home football games and filling in as the band leader at the home basketball games. I miss the Easter egg hunts in the snow, I don’t miss the snow-outs on either end of the softball and baseball seasons (and anytime during the season for that matter). I miss walking down Main St. stopping in and shopping, bumping into friends and getting caught up in long unscheduled conversations. I miss going to any one of the restaurants and never having to eat alone. I can’t count how many times I was invited to join someone for a meal before I sat down at a table. I miss lifting weights with my friends in my basement and sharing “salt” with my neighbors. I miss the kindness and the personal care that I received from a community that truly cares for its own. I miss Buggywhip days, the softball tournament, the small town parades, Home Coming celebrations, the County Fair, the Haystack booth, the Lion’s Club trailer and bingo. I miss the Sunday service, the home fellowship and bible studies, I miss the Candlelight Christmas Eve at the Community Church, the Christmas Carols playing during the season, I miss the Community Choir concerts and the Mid-night mass with the Maders. I miss my visits to St. Gertrude’s and the open invitation to join them for lunch. I will never forgot the sisters sitting in the front row, when we dedicated the new Community Church building, nor sitting next to Father Muha during that service, or Father Schumacher giving the Homily one Sunday at the Community Church during the year of reconciliation. I miss being a part of the worship team at St. Mary’s and going to Mass with so many of my fellow believers. There is so much more that I miss, but what I miss most and will always miss, is you! Over my 13 years in Cottonwood I made and enjoyed some of my closest friendship. By far, the vast majority of my best memories had their beginnings in Cottonwood; and although some time and distance has come between you and me, know this; I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; Philippians 1:3-7 I miss you, Buzz Dahlen |
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