Ok, I may get a little preachy today. Forgive me. But I am tired.
I am tired of people telling me how divided we are as a country, how it’s us against them.
The talking heads, the politicians, the people who should be doing a better job are always yapping about us. Or them.
I think they are wrong.
We is who they should be concerned about.
We, as in:
We want our children to be safe in schools.  We don’t want our schools to be prisons, or armed camps.  But we want our children safe.
We want good schools, clean schools, safe schools that provide a quality education for all our children.
We want to be safe in our homes. 
We want to be safe walking down the street.
We want the police to continue to protect and serve the people.
We want each person to be treated fairly, and equally.  
We want people to be judged on the content of their character.
We want people who are sick to get the medication and medical services they need.
We want our roads and bridges to be in tip top shape.

We want our families to be successful.
We want people to be able to pursue their dreams.
We want people to have adequate housing.
We want to stop seeing stories of innocent people shot and killed, whether by street gangs or by police.  And yes, that does happen. And it can’t be ignored.  
We want our veterans to have excellent health services after their years of duty, whether it be for physical or mental issues.
We want a bright future for our children and grandchildren, and nieces, and nephews.
We want a society that accepts everyone, regardless of their race, religion or other beliefs.
Some people will argue many of my points.  In our country, that is your right, to disagree and even protest. But we need to stop looking at our differences and focus on what makes us alike.
Most of us have ancestors who were not born here. Most of us have come from immigrant groups that experienced discrimination.  It was unfair then, it is unfair now. 
We are a nation of blended cultures, from the Christmas trees brought from Germany to the Irish Hooleys.  So many groups have blended to create the mosaic that is America.
As we approach July 4, maybe it’s time for all of us to reflect on how we fit in this gigantic puzzle called the United States.
We need to admit there are problems and then work toward solutions. There is too much hatred, too much disrespect, too much suspicion and too much rejection.
We need to look in the mirror.  I don’t think we will see us, or them,  just ourselves.
Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
We must change.
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Some of you may remember Lyle Kunde, our former park district director who retired years ago.  Lyle is in his 90s and living in a retirement community in Prescott, Ariz. He still has his great sense of humor and the gift of gab, which is a good thing.
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Riding my bike around town, I have noticed a couple of things.
A few years ago, I was riding past houses that looked empty. White slips of paper were posted on the doors. Now, those houses are occupied and the lawns freshly mowed.  Even a house in the country that was wildly overgrown has been rehabbed and is now on the market.  
There are fewer empty stores downtown.  Now, if only the strip malls along IL Route 38 would fill up, that would be great.
The bike path is beautiful. The repaving work last year really shows this year. Yes, there is a city construction project going on behind the high school, but that will eventually be finished by the city and the path repaired.
I went by Spring Lake and the decking and pool were sparkling…but the pump problem meant no one was swimming at the time.  When they do go, people will be impressed with how nice it looks.
The Little Libraries, put up three years ago as a Rochelle Rotary Club project, have been taken down temporarily. The libraries are being refurbished and will be back up later in the summer.
Change is around us. Sometimes we may not notice it, but it is happening.
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Speaking of change, I have not heard any news on the search for a new park district director. In this day and age, with complex finances and rules, it would be in all of our best interests to make sure a qualified parks professional is hired. They know the ropes. That would be money well spent.

Terry Dickow is a retired elementary school teacher with lots of opinions, some you will like, some you won’t  He can be contacted at terrydickow@gmail.com