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Looking at empathy

The word empathy is used a lot. Sometimes it is confused with sympathy, but they are different. When you feel sympathy for somebody those are your feelings, experienced by you. Sympathy involves what you feel when you witness another person’s suffering or terrible misfortune. You may feel compassion, pity, sadness, or sorrow for him or her. So what is empathy? Empathy is your ability to understand someone else’s feelings. In a way, it is something like putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. It involves recognizing, understanding, responding to, sharing, or even ...

Focus on mental health first

When tragedy strikes close to home, it leaves a mark that, hopefully, never fades. The recent shooting at Annunciation church and school has shaken Minnesotans to our core. Parents, teachers, neighbors, and all of us are asking the same question: how do we make sure something like this never happens again? Gov. Walz and many Democrats in the legislature have been quick to use this tragedy to focus on what kinds of guns should be banned and what new gun ownerships restrictions can be put in place. I understand why that is the instinct, but I believe we will be more effective if we ...

Sharing tailgating tales

Time was when tailgating was universally frowned upon. Tailgating meant that an obnoxious motorist was following your vehicle so closely that he could read the care instructions on the tag of your T-shirt. Tailgating has since taken on another meaning. This term is now used to describe the pregame eating, drinking, and socializing that takes place in the parking lot of a sports venue. If your team is on a winning streak, it’s a pre-celebration celebration; if your team has been losing lately, you can commiserate with other fans and mutter, “Wait until next year!” I’ve lived ...

Stacking up rocks or knocking them down

I walk or jog on Sleepy Eye’s Lake Trail. The trail has been a blessing. I used to run on the shoulder of Highway 14. That has become insanely busy. I was afraid of getting sucked into the wake of a semi-truck and ending up in Brookings. I mostly go on the quieter west side of the trail. In part of that, there is a field on one side and woods on the other. In the trees, there is a rock pile. There are rock piles all across the Corn Belt. Some of these are as old as when the first settlers came and began the work of turning prairie into cropland. The one we have in our grove is for ...

People skills: they’re important in any type of job

There’s a well known saying when it comes to career success that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. It’s true in both urban and rural areas. It’s true in any part of the United States. As far as I know, it’s the case throughout the world. When I was in my 20s I didn’t think it was fair. It was part of my idealism. I thought it was wrong if the most qualified applicant didn’t get a job, if someone else was chosen because of personal connections. I felt the merit system in the post office was the fairest way to go. If someone scores best on an exam or has the ...

City budgeting factors provide for a comprehensive process

The city of Marshall has recently presented to Council a draft budget and a preliminary property tax levy amount. All cities are required to prepare and adopt an annual levy and budget. By law, in Minnesota, the fiscal year of a city and all its funds must be the calendar year. The budget sets out a council’s yearly plan to maintain, change, add or drop services and activities. For cities, a budget is one year of estimated money coming in (revenue) and money going out (expenditures). Property taxes are the largest source of revenue for cities. Thus, through this budgeting process ...