Truth: All politics start at home

Happy Monday! Let’s talk politics.

Actually, let’s not.

Took Bunny for a long Saturday drive on what I used to call the coastal Citrus County tour. Back in the newspaper days, I’d grab new reporters for a Saturday drive to five coastal locales: Inglis/Yankeetown, Crystal River, Ozello, Homosassa, and Chassahowitzka.

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I served as tour guide along the way, extolling the virtues of certain communities, detailing the colorful histories of others.

These adventures usually involved beer and lunch. Neither was on the menu (ha!) Saturday, as I had Bunny with me so no stopping for food.

I realize that, technically, Inglis and Yankeetown are not a part of Citrus County. But they and Dunnellon are our closest cousins, so they’re family and part of the tour.

I took this long drive for a few reasons. As readers may have guessed, I’m not exactly itching to jump right back into the political debate arena. My entire approach to life has altered significantly since Oct. 24. Things that got me riled up, like bad roads and sales tax, are no longer even on the agenda.

We’ll return to those subjects eventually, but I want to roll back political coverage to the basics. That’s you and me, and where we live. Politicians are not the basis of politics, they’re the result.

We are not a community of politicians. We’re a community of people.

Never is that more on display than during the holidays. They were decorating the town Christmas tree in Inglis when we drove by. In Crystal River, U.S. 19 was lined with vehicles and chairs, folks reserving a spot for the Christmas parade Saturday night.

We drove through Homosassa to see holiday activities at the Old Homosassa Heritage Park. While we didn’t stop, I couldn’t help but marvel at how this community jelled to create that park, and look at it. Jammed with kids and families on a Saturday afternoon.

The Ozello portion of the drive ended about halfway to the boat ramp. Here’s why: I purposely did not feed Bunny before taking the drive. Bunny enjoys car rides, but her tummy isn’t so sure. Smart move not feeding her, right? Well…not so smart to think Bunny might enjoy some egg from Wawa during the drive. That twisty, bumpy road did us no favors.

Later Saturday, I headed out to Depot District in Inverness for the Light Up Liberty event. Thousands of families watched fireworks, shopped for holiday crafts, munched on vendor food, applauded the entertainment, and reveled in that general healthy feeling one gets while out among people who are enjoying themselves.

You know my situation. Being in crowds right now is, um, challenging. I pretty much forced myself out of the house. Once there, though, I felt swallowed up by the community. Witnessing all that life didn’t bum me out. It had the opposite effect.

It’s just what I need.

Citrus County is bouncing blindly these days from a political perspective. I can’t tell which way is up. There is no beacon on the hill, nowhere to point and say, “Whew! At least we have that!”

We can blame politicians, but that’s the cheap way out. Actually, any blame is cheap. I feel more confident saying this with each passing day: Have a problem with the county? Solutions are staring back at you in the mirror.

This community needs one another. Politicians won’t save us. The newspaper won’t save us. Same with online sleuths.

No, the answers lie from within.

The county is conducting public workshops to hear community input. I’ve been out of touch, but this is related to a comprehensive plan rewrite, so yeah, opinions are vital.

The first workshop is 5:30 p.m. today at the Lecanto Government Building. Here’s a link for more info. Now you know what I know.

Meanwhile, holiday celebrations continue throughout Citrus County. Want to engage in politics? Show up for your community. And tell Santa I said hi.

Have a great Monday, friends.

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