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According to most sources I could find, there are about 30,000 of us living in Shawnee. I guess it would be asking too much for all of us to just “get along”. After all, in my classroom of twenty, there are days when even our small group fusses and fights about how things should be. (And yes, sometimes I’m the one fussing!) In my household of four, there are periods of more discord than harmony, especially with a toddler in our midst. And yet, despite it all, I still think I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Though I couldn’t choose the town where I’d grow up, I did make a conscious choice to stay in Shawnee as an adult, and I find myself being more thankful for it all the time.
If a newcomer to this area read nothing in the paper but Tri-County Speaks, he might think that good things never happen in Shawnee. There seems to be a never-ending barrage of comments about everything from the post office to trash pickup to the private lives of our public servants. Even I, having lived here all my life, do find myself frustrated at times with the way things seem to be going in town. However, it rarely takes much time at all for me to be jolted back to reality – and to the exact reasons why I love living here.
Several years ago I was driving to a local car dealership on a busy Monday morning. My vehicle needed to be serviced, but before I could arrive there, it stalled in the middle of the intersection at Kickapoo and Independence. Embarrassed as I was about causing a traffic problem in such a busy place, I made two quick calls: one to the dealership and one to my dad. During that first call I was greeted by the voice of an employee that I know, who assured me that he’d call a wrecker to come and get me. As I waited for both the wrecker and my father, a Shawnee fire truck drove by, carrying firemen who asked if I needed any help. That encounter was followed shortly by a passing Shawnee police officer, also someone whom I know, who offered his assistance. Moments later, the wrecker arrived, driven by, again, someone that knows my family and me. It was in these moments that I realized just how lucky I am to live in a town where people are not only friendly and helpful but also where a familiar face isn’t hard to find. I love it that I can’t go anywhere in town without running into people that I know.
Folks who live in big cities may enjoy their anonymity, but I much prefer the welcoming waves of neighbors and the comfort of our “family pew” in church. I like it that when I eat at locally-owned restaurants, the owners greet me like family. I get excited when new businesses come to town, but I enjoy supporting the older Shawnee stores just as much. I smile knowing that my vet knows my pets’ names as well as my own. I can’t wait every winter for the lighted snowflakes to show up on city streets, and there’s nothing better than the Kiwanis pancake supper, Salvation Army spaghetti dinner, or South Rock Creek School Thanksgiving feast. These are like mini-reunions in themselves. Whether I’m at the bank, the dry cleaners, or the beauty shop, I’m bound to see someone I know. Even as it grows, Shawnee has kept that small-town appeal. I hope I’ll always appreciate the feeling that this is “home”.
For any faults that Shawnee might have, there is so much good going on here in town! I never have to look far to find it. Besides, towns are like stores; if you’re not happy in one, move on to another until you find what you’re looking for, I guess. So thanks to those who offer that friendly smile or courteous gesture as I go about my days here, and know that you, dear citizens, are part of what makes Shawnee so special to me. I wish that everyone else in town could see it as well.
Editor’s Note: This Guest Editorial is offered by Jamie Bergsten. She is a member of The Shawnee News-Star Guest Editorial Advisory Board. She also is a teacher at Grove School in Shawnee. The views expressed by our guest editorialists and guest columnists are theirs, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the News-Star’s management.
According to most sources I could find, there are about 30,000 of us living in Shawnee. I guess it would be asking too much for all of us to just “get along”. After all, in my classroom of twenty, there are days when even our small group fusses and fights about how things should be. (And yes, sometimes I’m the one fussing!) In my household of four, there are periods of more discord than harmony, especially with a toddler in our midst. And yet, despite it all, I still think I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Though I couldn’t choose the town where I’d grow up, I did make a conscious choice to stay in Shawnee as an adult, and I find myself being more thankful for it all the time.
If a newcomer to this area read nothing in the paper but Tri-County Speaks, he might think that good things never happen in Shawnee. There seems to be a never-ending barrage of comments about everything from the post office to trash pickup to the private lives of our public servants. Even I, having lived here all my life, do find myself frustrated at times with the way things seem to be going in town. However, it rarely takes much time at all for me to be jolted back to reality – and to the exact reasons why I love living here.
Several years ago I was driving to a local car dealership on a busy Monday morning. My vehicle needed to be serviced, but before I could arrive there, it stalled in the middle of the intersection at Kickapoo and Independence. Embarrassed as I was about causing a traffic problem in such a busy place, I made two quick calls: one to the dealership and one to my dad. During that first call I was greeted by the voice of an employee that I know, who assured me that he’d call a wrecker to come and get me. As I waited for both the wrecker and my father, a Shawnee fire truck drove by, carrying firemen who asked if I needed any help. That encounter was followed shortly by a passing Shawnee police officer, also someone whom I know, who offered his assistance. Moments later, the wrecker arrived, driven by, again, someone that knows my family and me. It was in these moments that I realized just how lucky I am to live in a town where people are not only friendly and helpful but also where a familiar face isn’t hard to find. I love it that I can’t go anywhere in town without running into people that I know.
Folks who live in big cities may enjoy their anonymity, but I much prefer the welcoming waves of neighbors and the comfort of our “family pew” in church. I like it that when I eat at locally-owned restaurants, the owners greet me like family. I get excited when new businesses come to town, but I enjoy supporting the older Shawnee stores just as much. I smile knowing that my vet knows my pets’ names as well as my own. I can’t wait every winter for the lighted snowflakes to show up on city streets, and there’s nothing better than the Kiwanis pancake supper, Salvation Army spaghetti dinner, or South Rock Creek School Thanksgiving feast. These are like mini-reunions in themselves. Whether I’m at the bank, the dry cleaners, or the beauty shop, I’m bound to see someone I know. Even as it grows, Shawnee has kept that small-town appeal. I hope I’ll always appreciate the feeling that this is “home”.
For any faults that Shawnee might have, there is so much good going on here in town! I never have to look far to find it. Besides, towns are like stores; if you’re not happy in one, move on to another until you find what you’re looking for, I guess. So thanks to those who offer that friendly smile or courteous gesture as I go about my days here, and know that you, dear citizens, are part of what makes Shawnee so special to me. I wish that everyone else in town could see it as well.
Editor’s Note: This Guest Editorial is offered by Jamie Bergsten. She is a member of The Shawnee News-Star Guest Editorial Advisory Board. She also is a teacher at Grove School in Shawnee. The views expressed by our guest editorialists and guest columnists are theirs, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the News-Star’s management.
