Lessons from the past two years

The last couple of years have been doozies - for just about all of us. The world has changed before our eyes, in ways we never would have or could have imagined.

I’ve found - often the hard way - that difficult times are opportunities for growth, new perspectives and outlooks.

Two years ago, my world felt devastated because it was. We were smack dab in the middle of COVID and I had the bonus life change of becoming a new widow. porary location, we will accept one small box or bag per week, per family of donated books, movies and magazines. We just don’t have the space during this time to take more and we appreciate your understanding.

New widow. How’s that for a conundrum of terms?

Throughout our renovation we will continue to offer Mother Goose on Mondays at 9:15 a.m. and Story Time on Thursdays at 9:15 a.m. at our temporary location. We will also have all of our new books, movies, audiobooks, magazines and a selection of our remaining 28-day books available for browsing and holds. We are relying heavily on our Partner libraries to help keep you supplied with reading material and movies during our renovation, so please ask us to help place holds if you are not comfortable doing so.

Meagher Public Library and Great Falls Public Library were just added as Partners, so all of their items are also available to place holds now.

As a reminder, our meeting room is unavailable until we are back in our renovated space. We are looking forward to offering a space with updated technology, a sound system and all new paint, carpet and cabinetry.

We will keep our regular hours of Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at our temporary location. For February, the library will also be closed Monday, Feb. 20, in observance of Presidents’ Day. Curbside pickup is available for

Slices of Life

not there (then). Still, as I alluded to above, times of great stress can be times of great learning and positive change.

Jill Pertler Syndicated columnist

I wouldn’t want to repeat the last two years of my life. Not ever. I’m glad I’m here (now) and

I hope I’ve accomplished both. I guess I’m still trying, and that, in itself, counts for something.

The past two years have been life changing. I’ve written about these changes and outlooks, but I’m putting some of them together here as a sort of summary. A Cliff Notes for life, if you will.

Life is fleeting; it is short. It can all change in an instant. Live in the present - not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now. Live in the now, and appreciate it for all that it is.

Having said that, understand the big picture. What troubled you last everyone during open hours. Please call us at 406-883-8225 or email us at: polsoncl@polson. lib.mt.us with questions or to request curbside pickup.

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Letters must be 350 words or less. A writer will only be published twice per month.

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year or last month is likely no longer on your radar. Appreciate what is good right now. Understand the hurdles and challenges along your path are most likely temporary.

We are all connected. We all look up at the same sky and are warmed by the same sun. We all claim the same homeMother Earth. We all see page 11

Letters must be signed by the author and name, address and phone number must be included –phone number is for verification purposes only. Letters from organizations must include the name of at least one author.

Please limit “thank you” letters to four people/organizations or less. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday to publish the following week. Opinions expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the newspaper.

Focus on the reasonable Editor,

Once again, the party of small government has decided it needs more than $2.5 million after this legislative session to defend the bills that are passed that are found to be unconstitutional. They did this in the last session and blew through the $100,000 in their budget to defend their laws. Taxpayers, this is how some of you tax dollars are being used. In committee hearing they have already been told, on Senate Bill 154, that if passed, it will immediately be challenged in court. Can the party of small government please focus passing

reasonable laws?

Mary Stranahan Arlee

Oppose SB210 Editor,

I’m amazed at the fact that some members of the GOP Super Majority/Freedom caucus have not taken care of a loved one who is dying. Should they have had this experience, they would not be in support of SB210 which ends the statutory approach to medical aid in dying, set out in the Montana Supreme Court 2009 Baxter decision. Baxter has successfully worked to protect a patient’s most personal end of life decisions.

As a retired nurse who had the often blessed experience of caring for the dying for over a decade, let me assure you, most of us don’t just close our eyes and pass away. More often than not, our entrance into and our departure from this life is not without struggle. And we should be grateful for the loving hands who help us in these transitions. SB210 takes these hands away.

I hear that support for SB210 can come from religious positions so let me pose this question. Does your religious education come from a place of self-education or self-glorification?

If the former, perhaps you are a better person; if the latter, then most likely as not, those who do not share your values are misguided souls. Let’s stand up to the real misguided souls supporting this bill.

Carol Werner Ronan

from page 10 breathe the same air. Our bodies are universally hydrated by the same H2O compound known as water. We all yearn for love. We have more in common than we have differences. Be kind.

Happiness and joy come from within, as does the most important emotion of all: love. They are always in you, waiting - an infinite reservoir of beauty, reverence and delight, yours for the taking. You, and you alone, can choose happiness and joy - or the opposite. Choose joy. Choose love.

We all make mistakes. Every day. Give yourself grace. Forgive yourself abundantly. The best you can do is learn and step forward, wiser for the lesson.

The world has a tendency to judge harshly. Don’t repay the favorfor yourself or for anyone else whom you may be tempted to judge. In that, realize that not judging yourself may very well be one the hardest things you’ll ever aspire to do.

I read a quote about the moon that I love. The premise isn’t original with me, but I think it’s good enough to share. The moon, much like people, goes through different phases of darkness and light - a quarter moon, a half moon and so on. Much like the moon, you may change as the illumination in your life waxes and wanes, but through it all you are always whole. Remember this wholeness is always within you.

As much as you (and I) dislike it, we are not in control. The world provides us with both possibilities and hardships. Take both with equal amounts of gratitude and fortitude. Make the best of every circumstance and hold your head high, despite setbacks and heartbreak.

You’ve got this.

Life can be hard. It often is hard. But you’ve made it this far. Keep pressing forward. Keep going. You can always quit tomorrow.

But don’t. Please don’t. You are worth fighting for. Day after day after day.

I’m rooting for you. I’m right there with you.

Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.