First enjoy today
Weekly update 8/29/2021 to 9/4/2021 #84
Auschwitz survivor Eddie Jaku said, “Tomorrow will come, but first enjoy today.” As you enjoy today, I will share some of my recent week.
Weather permitting, by the time you read this the newest downtown mural commissioned by Seymour Mainstreet will almost be done. Artists Mike and Nick have been working long hours to get the finished product on the wall. As the different panels celebrating various pieces of Seymour’s history and businesses go up, I must say I enjoy it more and more. One of my favorites is from the late 1800’s and reminds us that Timms Manufacturing Company built bicycles right here in Seymour.
August 31st is International Overdose Awareness day. This year's local event was held at Crossroads Park. Every year that I have been able to attend it is always the speakers that impress me the most. They are willing to get up in front of the crowd and share their stories of recovery, of loss, and more. This year, as always, thank you to those speakers for sharing. I would guess that almost every family has some connection to addiction. We will never turn a corner to a brighter tomorrow if we remain silent on the topic. Thank you also to the organizers for putting together the event again this year, and I encourage everyone to go ahead and mark your 2022 calendar for August 31 so you don’t forget and schedule something over it.
During my recent visit with Water Pollution Control, I would guess that I can safely say that I was one of just a handful of people who helped resurface a clarifier this week. As we all know preventative maintenance will extend the life of equipment. I am not joking when I say that working with Chad at WPC gives me a chance to get my hands dirty, and I appreciate that. Thanks Chad.
I also recently had a chance to speak at the Noon Lions Club here in Seymour. They asked for a mid-year update, and it gave me a chance to dust off those 14 future topics from my state of the city presentation back in February. I also took the plunge and submitted my application to join the club. Besides making sure we all have a good choice of Oktoberfest shirts, they do free vision screenings for students in the Jackson County area. If you are trying to figure out where you fit in, check out lionsclub.org for more information.
Back to Eddie Jaku and his quote “Tomorrow will come, but first enjoy today.” Mr. Jaku was born in 1920 in Germany. As a teenager he was beaten, arrested, and sent to a concentration camp. For the next seven years he faced unimaginable horrors. The Nazis had taken everything from him except his spirit. He went on to later promise to smile everyday, and at over 101 he continues to tell his story in his memoir titled, The Happiest Man on Earth. In 2019 he gave a TED talk in Sydney where he starts with, “My dear new friends.” Later in the speech he shares that he is doing everything he can to make this world a better place and encourages you to do so as well. Remember these words, “Please do not walk in front of me. I may not be able to follow. Please do not walk behind me. I may not be able to lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” Today, I hope we can all learn from Mr. Jaku’s example and be that friend for someone in need.