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<DIV><SPAN class=171374515-24052007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#800000
size=2>Thank you, Wayne Olson</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=171374515-24052007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#800000
size=2>--------------------------------</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#800000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>There are many roses within the storm
<P
style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px">By Wayne
Olson</P>
<P style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; font-color: gray">Wednesday, May 23, 2007 </P><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">
<P>There are times when words can not come close to expressing our grief, or
feelings for others within our community. The events the past weekend in Moscow
is one of those times. Our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers go out to those
wounded, for those whose lives were lost, and to family, friends and those who
worked alongside these folks over the years.</P>
<P>Officer Lee Newbill was my officer of contact on a small case within the last
few weeks. I remember Officer Newbill as very professional, straightforward, yet
personal and caring in his approach. His warmth, his way, his lead will be
missed by all.</P>
<P>When you are in the middle of a situation like this last weekend, your heart
cries out for something solid to hold on to for guidance, for strength and
peace. In my eyes, only the good Lord's grace and peace will do.</P>
<P>Moscow is a strong community. A community of folks who come together with
their own, and with time will heal from the events. These events are a shock to
this community, because they are not commonplace in Moscow. Over the last four
days, from many officials are talking to the media, and from many people I work
with, I've heard that fact time and again. In my heart I know we live in a
special place.</P>
<P>To lend perspective to this fact, I need to give you a little insight into my
world. Throughout the year, we have people who visit our USDA Unit from other
"big city" areas. I love to take these folks around our communities and
countryside, and show them our "world." When I visit about our summer events,
the question usually comes up, "So where is your part of town that you don't
walk, especially at night?" This question came up last summer as we were
watching a young couple pushing a baby carriage on an evening walk in the Fort
Russell district in the dusk of the day, toward music coming from East City
Park. With a smile, I have to admit we have no place in the Moscow-Pullman area
that you can't walk, especially at night. </P>
<P>I think perspective is important here. Yes, we need to pay attention to what
is going on in the world; but it is our choice whether we want that information
to dominate our world. It's really our choice to color or impact our world with
the day's news, or to move beyond the day's events.</P>
<P>When was the last time you slowed your pace and counted your blessings to
live here in the Moscow-Pullman area, at this date and age? For me, being both a
cancer survivor and a stroke survivor at an age barely over 50, each day is a
blessing. As I walk down the streets of Moscow or work in the fields at the USDA
Farm or on our family farm, I find it humbling and beautiful to just sit down
for a few minutes and enjoy the beauty of the day. We get pummeled with the bad
news of the world, daily and hourly, through all of the media; and through the
speed and the worries of our day.</P>
<P>Have you ever taken the time to stop and think about this place we live, and
counted your blessings? Talk to most anyone who has experienced my path, and you
will find that for us the tree leaves are greener, the skies are bluer, sunsets
more vivid and relationships more precious than before these trials. Stop for a
few minutes, set aside the troubles of this world, and enjoy this day, this
place and this time. I well understand our time here is finite, and everything
here today could be gone tomorrow in a heartbeat.</P>
<P>Remember that there can be two meanings to the word present, the here and
now; and the gift of this day, of family, of friends, and this community in
which we reside. This present, this gift, is our rose within the storm.</P>
<P>I can see you smiling.</P>
<P><STRONG>Wayne Olson</STRONG> is a fourth generation of rural Moscow resident.
Town Crier II is a weekly series of columns contributed by 13 local writers. The
Town Crier columns run on Wednesday.</P>
<P><SPAN class=171374515-24052007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#800000
size=2>________________________________</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN class=171374515-24052007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#800000
size=2>your pal</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN class=171374515-24052007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#800000
size=2>DC</FONT></SPAN></P></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>