The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 140, No. 97, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 3, 1994 Page: 4 of 36
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Page 4
THE BASTROP ADVERTISER
Thursday, February 3,1994
Issues & Opinions
Stress is reaction to life's challenges
The simplest tasks are the
hardest to do. One of the wisest
persons on the Western scene
remarked that the most difficult
thing for us to do is to sit quietly
alone in our room and be happy.
There will always be a financial
crisis in health care delivery un-
til schools teach that skill to all
ages.
Stress, "a number-one killer"
is not so much what happens to
us but the meaning we give to
those challenges. Life is what
happens to us while we arc
busily scheming how to get the
edge over our neighbors.
Life is that event we will
never get out of alive. Life has
no deep and wise meaning
without consideration of per-
sonal death.
To take control of meaning,
mood and feelings, we have to
learn that these inner events
happen by the way we react to
our images, words and bodily
sensations. The wise humorist
can identify her or his inner
world events and smile at inter-
nal negativities.
Violence comes from those
without an examined inner life
who are also waging an unde-
clared war with themselves, the
community and God.
I do not often sit quietly at
the Bastrop Senior Center. To
me, it is like that kids' club
house I never found as a lad.
People there give all the signs of
being happy and greeting fellow
seniors. Yet the sad side is that
only about 10 percent of the
membership will show up.
Although 1 am basically quite
shy, no one there believes that
since I'm always moving in the
flow with the others. But for a
dozen minutes or so that Thurs-
day evening, I was just sitting
off to the side: relaxed, alert and
calm. I was pleasantly limp and
loose, allowing, experiencing
and enjoying the heaviness,,
warmth and tingling of just let-
ting be, right in the here and
now.
If we all did that practice for
just IS minutes a day, the drug
companies, legal and illegal,
would suffer financially. And
we would be learning the first
steps in contemplative prayer
that our ancestors, at various
times, could do so well.
Thoughts come and thoughts
go, like our breaths, but in re-
laxation we do not resist them. I
say this is what Jesus meant
when he said "resist not evil."
For if we are not aware of our
tendencies to Cling to and grasp
at control at any price, we will
never be wise. Dying well, in all
the great spiritual traditions, has
always meant letting go and let-
ting God be God in us.
Images of my entry into Bas-
trop over seven years ago come
to mind. I did not know a soul
there. So I heard about the men's
coffee group at the First Na-
tional Bank on Wednesdays.
People introduced themselves to
me before I moved toward
them.
I answered questions about
me by saying I was interested in
history. So I was pushed and
dragged over to the table where
Clyde Reynolds was holding
forth. He spoke to me for a cou-
ple of hours, not ju'st on that day
but any Wednesday I drew up a
chair. He even drove me up to
the hill at Fairview.
He took me down to the spot
where settlers and even the
Mexican army must have
crossed. He made history come-
-and stay-alive for me, as no
other teacher ever did for me.
Later on, the Sayerftille
group at Bucking Hill did the
same. That was quite a blessing
for one life time. I'd be there
still if the health insurance com-
panies did not find me, and put
me to work on Sundays.
Cecil Long was Mr. Bastrop
to me, too. But Alvin Bohls will
always be Rev. Bastrop to me.
More than that alone, he is a
dedicated Barnabas ("the en-
courager"). Of all the scores and
scores of meetings I've orga-
nized, his presence has been ap-
parent.
If Catholics and Protestants
could cooperate-as-equals as we
do, we would have realized the
till]* ^Easirnp JVb&ertiaer
TEXAS' OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Published 104 times a year (Including Christmas Day and New Year's Day),
Saturday and Thursday at The Bastrop Advertiser office, 908 Water Street,
P.O. Box 459, Bastrop, TX 78602. Non-sectarian, non-partisan, devoted to
the welfare of the people of Bastrop County. Subscription rates: $25.50 per
year delivered In county, $27.50 per year delivered out of county, (All are
payable In advance). Second class postage paid at Bastrop, Texas 78602.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Bastrop Advertiser, P.O. Box
459, Bastrop, TX 78602.321-2557 • 321-6444
Dave Smith - Publisher
Steve Taylor - General Manager
Davis McAuley - Editor
Ellen Moore - Events
Chris Stockton - Sports
Janice Butler - Reporter
ADVERTISING
Erlene Goertz - Sharon Roper
CIRCULATION
BrendaSharirli
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Carolyn Wright
PRODUCTION
Jan Emerson
BASTROP ADVERTISER (USPS045-020)
MEMBER TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
1994
MEMBER 1994
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
Kingdom of God long ago. We
have shared our hopes and fears
with fellow member of the Se-
nior 4H (health, humor, healing,
happiness) group, and now with
the Spiritual Pilgrims' group.
That kind of cooperation-as-
equals is one of the simple es-
sential tasks of community liv-
ing that is taught nowhere and
so is difficult, if not impossible,
to do.
Without even trying, he
taught me a tremendous respect
for Martin Luther. That was no
small task, since as a "Hell-Fire
and Brimstone" depression-era
Irish kid, the favorite challenge
of my community was fighting
Protestant kids ("mackerel-
snappers vs. the heretics").
Noses were bloodied and
knuckles bruised.
No adult was ever involved,
and no one was really hurt. And
it kept us out of serious trouble.
Now some of those senior
kids have found me. They are
yelling at "Little Jack Horner, in
the corner." I smile and get my
attention into the outer flow of
things. For the first time at the
center, my table will eat first in-
stead of 12th, by a lucky draw.
Those old people surely know
how to cook.
I tell the others that they can
dance it all off in the morning
with the Shindiggers of "Cousin
Oleta (Oakes)." I say that one of
the glories of aging is that we
have a tremendous opportunity
to learn. The steps I learn one
Friday, I forget in a couple of
Fridays. But it's fun learning
them again. We jump and play,
and no one grades us unless we
foolishly decide to grade our
worth as persons for being hu-
manly imperfect.
Perfection really means
"wholeness" from which comes
perfectly imperfect, we would
never be able to afford the price
they'd charge.
But it is simple, therefore
most difficult, but learnable.
Just step into the stream of con-
sciousness, share the experience
with others and know when to
come out
Dr. O'Connell, 68, of Bastrop is (or
mor Clinical Aasociato Professor of Psy
chotogy in Paychiatiy, Baylor College of
Madiclno. Hia current professional inter-
oat ia in the interrelations of psycholc
cat and physical health for the eldei
Questions about aging and health can
bo addmaaod to him by writing to 106
Kelley Road Bastrop, TX 78602.
LIFE'S ©BTT1NO
UNBEARABLE HERE—
THE ECOMOMV'S
SOFT, THE WINTER'S
HARD/ ANPALLTHE
PRETTV GIRLS
ARE TAKEN/
QUIT YER
BELLYACHIN' RIP
IT COULP
^E WORSE
„YA COULP
EE IN
CALIFORNIA/
mmm
Teacher gets weary worrying about Cubans
Dear Editor:
I am sitting at a desk in the
tiny concrete room provided as
my classroom at Bastrop
County Jail; I wait for my stu-
dents to arrive, delivered from
various cells by various guards.
I have not been here for two
weeks due to the holidays; I am
experiencing dread and hope,
simultaneously, which seems to
add up to anxiety.
I have already waited 15
minutes for the eight to 10
Cuban detainees in this particu-
lar class. I hear shouts and the
sounds of metal doors clanging
in the halls. I wonder if any of
my students have been shipped
off to other facilities; or if I will
be faced with a new influx of
Cuban faces, all male, and of
various ages, skin tones and ed-
ucational levels.
I wonder if my "old" students
will resent my absence during
the holidays; I avoid missing
class since it is only once a
week and is a valued Activity for
them. How sad it is to remem-
ber, as I wait, the faces of these
men who have so little of life
right now. No man (or women)
deserves so little from life un-
less he or she be less than hu-
man.
I normally try to hide my
sympathy; I do not want them to
see it as pity or to expect some
much greater emotion just be-
cause I care about each of them.
I sometimes feel more like a so-
cial worker than a teacher in this
setting where the needs are great
and unmeetable.
I tell myself, "maintain a pro-
fessional distance; maintain a
professional distance," but my
teacher's heart notices their
needs, their responses. I am
aware, "lo siento mucho."
I just wrote a letter to Bar-
bara Jordan; she is a brilliant
stateswoman, diplomat and
teacher. President Clinton has
appointed her to head the
"Immigration Reform Commis-
sion." I have tremendous respect
for her and have, therefore,
written to her regarding the
Cuban's detention.
Today, when and if the
Cubans ever get here, I will en-
courage them to write another
letter to her. Communicating
one's needs is an integral part of
the democratic process. I as-
sume that some of my students
will eventually become Ameri-
can citizens; they can use prac-
tice in the democratic process;
they learned none in Cuba. -
(It has now been 30 minutes.
The guards have just broken
their own record.)
Teaching takes a large
amount of energy, at least for
me. I tend to want to feel pre-
pared and responsive even if my
students are sleeping and
laughing at me. (Right now my
sense of responsibility is ran-
kled by this institution's inabil-
ity to deliver eight men from
four cells in a timely manner. I
have now waited for 35 min-
utes.) Finally, they arrive!
When the first students ar-
rived, I tell the guard I am just
about asleep. She sends an in-
mate for coffee; it is appreci-
ated, although very dark and
slightly bitter.
More guards deliver more
Cubans and one Mexicano.
Thanks Indeed
Smithville teacher applauds local crisis center
Dear Editor:
i \
For several years now,
Smithville Independent School
District has benefited tremen-
dously from the programs and
services offered by the Bastrop
County Family Crisis Center.
Our 3rd grade class, which
numbers 119 students, partici-
pated in this fall's Child Abuse
Prevention Project (CAPP),
which educates children about
preventing sexual assaults.
Additionally, this year 112
fifth graders viewed the Family
Literacy Volunteers
of America'
Crisis Center's new video de-
tailing assault and physical
abuse prevention. Some stu-
dents even participated in the
Center's S.H.A.P.E. (Self,
Awareness, Positive Esteem)
program to help them develop
healthy self concepts and good
decision making skills.
Because of our rural location,
educators are often hard pressed
to locate quality resources to
educate children about personal
safety issues. Thanks to pro-
grams provided by the Bastrop
County Family Crisis Center,
children enrolled in Smithville
I.S.D. are learning how to be
safe, strong and free!
We appreciate and applaud
the Bastrop County Family Cri-
sis Center for providing such es-
sential curriculum to our chil-
dren.
Sincerely,
Emily Warner
Counselor
Smithville Elementary
School
Electric company appreciated
to
To learn to read or
volunteer to kelp •one-
one learn to read' t
CALL 321-4650
Dear Editor:
One night last week we were
without electricity for over three
hours after a car knocked down
a utility pole near our house. My
wife is dependent on electrically
operated machinery because of
a medical problem.
The Bluebonnet Electric Co-
operative personnel responded
to our problem with a generator
within a matter of minutes. We
would like to recognize this fine
service by our power company.
Carlos aad Marie Speck
Bastrop
Someone asks if a guy named
Rodriguez may attend. I say he
may as long as he has limited
English.
Because I have been gone for
two weeks, the Cubans are extra
happy to be in class. I had origi-
nally planned to do student let-
ter writing in class; but the ex-
citement level is too high; and
there are three new students
whose English skills are
"undetermined."
For this reason, I pull out my
trusty lesson folder and select
materials for a more
"controlled" classroom activity.
The students shuffle through
their papers looking for their
copy of "Possessives and the
Apostrophe." Some students
will have to share.
With total enthusiasm and
delight, these students examine
one of the less challenging us-
ages in the English language;
the apostrophe. One might think
they were discussing soccer
scores or talking about news
from home, such is their enthu-
siasm.
I ask some students to read
aloud; some read in halting syl-
lables, struggling for the sounds;
some read rapidly in abused En-
glish learned on the streets of
Miami or New York City. It is a
mixed group; only their enthusi-
asm is similar.
Finally class is over
(abbreviated by the 45 minute
wait) Each student shakes my
hand, "blesses" me in one way
or another, promises to- study
and retreats through steel doors
with the guards. I, too, retreat,
into the brilliant sunshine.
I am awash in my freedom; I
exalt in my ability to choose my
steps; I dwell in the grace and
love and gratitude of the nine
less fortunate souls I leave be-
hind. i
They have erred and have to
pay and pay and pay, even be-
yond the reasonable penalties
for their errors. How can these
men harbor such warmth and
joy and give them to me in ex-
change for my simple kindness
(for which I am even paid)?
What an irony that under the
most abject of human circum-
stances, such rich humanity can
appear.
Is this open-hearted kindness
everywhere amongst us only
hidden and controlled by super-
ficiality and expediency? Does
not sunlight give brilliance to
even the most tawdry of circum-
stances? If we act in kindness,
will it not be returned? If we can
find the role of "kind" in
"humankind" will we discover
our true nature?
I hope so.
Marie Blazek
Bastrop
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McAuley, Davis. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 140, No. 97, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 3, 1994, newspaper, February 3, 1994; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth409827/m1/4/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.