JUST WRIGHT CITRUS
  • Home
  • Just Blogs
  • About
  • One for All

Here's an idea: Build up, not down

3/10/2022

 
Picture
Let’s end the week with a little encouragement because we sure need it.

Feels like every day’s an uphill climb for some folks. Someone is nasty, someone is negative, someone is trying to find dirt just to find it — at one point, it gets too much.

​

I’m here to encourage you and to assure that you are not alone.

Our community is filled with well-meaning people, whose hearts just burst in their love for Citrus County. Yet, they’re nearly ready to give up. They feel helpless from the burdens of this sudden and, frankly, alarming growth pace. 

And they’re catching the brunt of others who are playing political games to score points with the influential for reasons totally unrelated to the betterment of our community.

Please don’t give up. We need you.

These are politicians and regular folk. Behind-the-scenes community leaders and retirees. All walks of life, all types of jobs. Some feel defeated, overwhelmed by negativity permeated by the Gotcha Gang.

The other night I got a call from a friend who is one such person. She has a good job in the community, doing worthwhile things. We’ve been friends for many years and I know her heart beats for Citrus County.

She was ready to quit. We talked for an hour and prayed. I reminded her that I often feel the same way myself, and we need to encourage one another.

Anyone who thinks he or she is handling these Citrus County challenges alone — you’re not. I can’t emphasize this enough. We have silos all over this county (I’ll get into that another time) and one result is folks feel isolated, like they alone must figure out the many challenges facing Citrus County. It’s not true. There are more people who want to build up than tear down.

For today, let me speak of one segment of our community who really need encouragement: Teachers.

I love teachers, love ‘em! My favorite Chronicle memories aren’t the award-winning Sunday stories, it’s the time I spent writing about teachers and kids doing cool stuff in classrooms. The walls around my desk were covered with visitor stickers from the county’s schools.

I got to know a lot of teachers and they are protective of those kids. Most teachers would do anything for their students.

To go through COVID-19 hell, trying to figure out how all that works, then the state Legislature debating and passing laws aimed at demoralizing educators and disenfranchising students, not to mention the daily grind of aggressive parents breathing down their necks — at some point, a person’s gotta wonder why he bothers with the hassle.

Teachers, let’s turn that around. Do not let these self-righteous haters rob you of your joy. My God, what a blessed profession! Some people start the day hoping to make a difference in their community. Teachers, you do that just by showing up. Those kids arrive for school, you know they’re feeling stressed as well, and you provide stability and friendship.

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it on a good day. That’s why I have so much respect for teachers. They’re heroes. I hope as they’re dodging darts they know that.

—About the photo: I was going to try an analogy about good times being right around the track, but that just didn’t work. I liked the photo, though. 

Special Just Wright Citrus credit if you can tell me where that is. (Hint: I disregarded a “no trespassing” sign to get there. Don’t tell anyone.)

Enjoy the weekend, friends.
​


Join the discussion on our Facebook page.

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Mike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 37 years.

    Picture
    Picture
    Mike Bays State Farm Ad - Click to visit!
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Kovach Law Ad - Click to visit!
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Kinnard Chiropractic Ad - Click to visit!
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021

Home

Today's Blog

About

Just Wright Citrus Logo
 Copyright © 2022
Created by Joshua Brunk and Noah Breder
  • Home
  • Just Blogs
  • About
  • One for All