Getting to the point: Three little life lessons

ROSLYN RYAN Richmond Suburban News

Three very short stories that offer small but important lessons about life…

1.Dressed to thrill

Many years ago, with the nation embroiled in World War II, my grandfather joined the United States Navy. As the story goes, one day early in his training he was walking through New York’s Grand Central Station in his dress whites, looking every bit the dapper young Navy man. Even better, people seemed to be taking notice of him as he passed, nudging one another and smiling in his direction. Seeing this, his step took on a bit of a bounce. He was cutting quite a figure, and he knew it – in a city that knew style, he was getting noticed. I can’t recall what eventually tipped him

Letters To The Editor

School board member putting politics ahead of students

Dear Editor,

As I write this letter, I’m reflecting on a fantastic first semester of school – the kindest bus driver arrives on time every morning with a smile, my children love going to off, but at some point he looked down and realized exactly why he had been getting so much attention…he had forgotten to zip up his pants and his shorts were plainly visible to all. The moral of the story: When tempted to think you’re the toast of the town, make sure to check your zipper.

2.Couch conundrum

Years ago, when moving out of my college apartment, I found myself facing a bit of a conundrum. I had packed up most of my possessions and loaded them into the back of my car, and almost everything that wouldn’t fit had been either given away or sold. By the time moving day arrived, the only thing that still needed to be dealt with was my couch. I had dragged my feet on what to do with it, knowing I really loved it but also that I had no place to put it (I was moving back home). Even if I had a place for it, there was virtually no way it was going to fit into the back of my car and I didn’t know anyone with a truck. Even when the two very kind Vietnamese men who had offered to help me move it down the rickety back staircase of the third-floor walk-up arrived, I still wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do. Seeing the task they had ahead of them, they quickly decided it would be a better idea to use some rope and gently lower the couch down. A few minutes later, I heard them both yelling something in Vietnamese, followed by a tremendous crash. The couch had fallen three stories and was now in a splintered heap of wood, fabric and springs.

The moral of the story: Some- times, if you put off a decision long enough, life will step in and decide for you.

3.It’s my party, and I’ll sigh if I want to I promise this story is not made up. A good friend of mine has owned a small bakery for years. One summer day a couple of years ago, just by happenstance, a movie star she’d admired since she was a teenager came into the shop while he was in town filming. It just happened to be my friend’s birthday, so she and her staff and the movie star ended up laughing, posing for pictures and eating cake for the better part of an hour. It was, she told me later, simply magical. Cut to one year later, and my friend was once again celebrating her birthday at work. Only this time the HVAC unit in her shop had broken down, and the back of the store was flooded. The temperature inside the shop was soaring, the repairman was telling her he couldn’t get there for at least two days (unless she wanted to pay the “emergency fee”) and a well-meaning staffer had slipped and dropped her birthday cake onto the floor… right into a puddle of water. I asked her how she managed to keep her composure that day, and she just laughed. “It’s all part of it,” she said. “You don’t get to have the highs without the lows.” school to learn with friends and experience enriching activities, our teachers support our children with extra-mile-style care and concern, and our principal and other key staff create a warm, safe environment every day where kids feel a sense of belonging and pride. I am so grateful for all GCPS teachers and support staff do each and every day. I cannot imagine a better place to send my children, and I want EVERY child in editorial & Business office and Mailing address: 8460 Times-dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va 23116

The moral of the story: Some days you’re going to get to hang out with movie stars and some days you’re going to eat floor cake. Since you never know which kind of day it’s going to be, you might as well get up and make the most of each and every one.

Phone – (804) 746-1235

Toll free – (877) 888-0449 Fax – (804) 344-8746 online: www.goochlandgazette.com

Goochland to feel this way. This is the underlying reason for my correspondence.

Recently, a member of the school board, Ms. Angela Allen used her official Facebook page “Angela Allen, Goochland School Board Representative” to make a post that violated Goochland County School Board Policy BBAB, Code of Ethics for Goochland County, Virginia School Board Members, to which she swore an

Publisher Joy Monopoli ......................................... jmonopoli@RSnVa.com

Managing Editor laura McFarland lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

Editor Roslyn Ryan rryan@goochlandgazette.com

Sports Editor Robby Fletcher rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

Sales Representative Tom haynie thaynie@mechlocal.com

Classifieds cindy adams ........................................ cadams@mechlocal.com

Production Manager denine d’angelo ddangelo@mechlocal.com oath and is bound to uphold by virtue of her position. On Jan. 26, 2023, Ms. Allen posted, without any anteceding question or reason, the following on the aforementioned page: “As a Goochland School Board member, effectively representing your interests is my duty. This week I learned that GCPS students are allowed to use restrooms different from their biological gender. Is this our community’s expectation?”

Allen’s January post violates the following elements of policy BBAB, as indicated by highlighted text:

While serving as a member of the Goochland County School Board, I accept the responsibility to support and improve public education in my community and in the Commonwealth, and to that end I will:

Please see LETTERS, Page 7

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The Gazette welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Goochland residents. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Goochland Gazette.