December 13, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Friday, December 13, 2019 “ElkCituNews Helpful Opinion Page life of peace and quiet and doing whatever she wanted for a few days, but I was sure she would soon want Glynda Lomax is a Chris- her helpful husband back. when she was trying to do Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 She would want him back tian author and podcaster housework, and she, if she when she had no one to talk who resides in the Ozark was lucky, had never known to for hours and hours, when Mountains of Northern Ar- the kind of aloneness that kansas with her two very left you wishing you had any she ate every meal in si- lence with no one to share it, bossy dogs. She wrote her kind of help at all around the when a holiday neared and first About Life..column in house. She likely had gotten she dreaded feeling like the 2003 for a newspaper in her routines down pat when only unpaired person in the Glynda Lomax Dallas. She is planning her he went off to work every world. next book. day and wanted to keep them Too often we take for that way. He was trying to be granted those in our lives I met the nice couple again “No one is useless in this helpful, but to her it was dis- in the checkout lane. Just be- who are trying to bless us, world who lightens the bur- rupting. thinking they are just mak- fore I left, I stepped over to dens of another.” As I perused the aisles ing a mess of things or get- the woman and said, “I think Charles Dickens finding the items on my list, ting in the way, much like a it’s nice you have help!” and T thought how wonderful it toddler clinging to your legs Theaded home to unload my Autumn was in the air one was the nice woman’s hus- begging for your attention groceries. afternoon as I dashed off to band wanted to be a help to while you trying to make The true value of a person the grocery store in search her. For decades I had been dinner. is in what they give of them- of ingredients to make soup alone, with no help. Prior to Too often we do not see selves. So many people are and hot bread. As I made my children leaving home, I they are only trying to do so self-centered they never my way slowly through the had been married to a man something good, trying to give at all of their time, grocery aisles, I encountered who did not believe in help- spend time with us in what- their talents, or their ener- a pleasant woman and her ever way they know how. gies, even to those closest to ing. Since they left home, I husband near the dairy case.had had no help shopping for I found myself wondering them. He darted up the soup aisle groceries. No help unload- later that evening, how often To receive help from an- Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Warner Bros. just as I met her gaze. ing the groceries. No help do we crush those close to us other when we are harried “He’s more trouble than putting up the groceries. No in our impatience when they and hurried takes a special Christmas he is help,” she said, as if help with flat tires or dead are only trying to do some- kind of patience. It takes the trying to explain his behav- batteries. No help carrying thing nice for us? Would we kind of patience that looks at ior. I smiled and walked on, the trash to the curb every do the same if we knew we the heart that gives, not the wishing I had someone to week. No help getting food would not have them much hand that helps. The kind help me. I could finish my or medicine when I was too longer? Would we be kinder of patience that looks at an- time is here shopping in half the time, ill to leave home. No help to them if we knew — really other’s desire to lighten our probably less. with home repairs or yard knew — they would soon be load and nothing else. They looked to be retire- work. No help with anything taken from us? Would we ment age and he likely was unlessI hired it. speak more kindly to them if “When we give cheerfully By Don Munsch, Editor around the house a lot since I wondered if the nice could see inside their hearts and accept gratefully, every Christmas traditions can be defined in different ways. retiring, probably ‘under- woman had ever lived alone. and feel the pain our words one is blessed.” foot’ as we women call it, She would probably love my of impatience cause them? Maya Angelou Much of it depends on the family. Some people open gifts on Christmas eve; my family opened gifts on Christmas morning. Some people put up an artificial tree each year, while my family always opted to buy a real tree. When my OICA releases 2020 Children’s Legislative agenda dad was living at home, he wouldn’t allow a fake tree in the house. Other traditions abound, such as dinner on Christmas day. It’s one of the few times of the year my family uses OKLAHOMA CITY - who do experience trauma. teacher pay and benefits in take other steps that will the dining room table. As for church, for many years, some The Oklahoma Institute for Oklahoma should increase early education classrooms, improve Oklahoma’s health family members attended Midnight Mass. Child Advocacy (OICA) has trauma-informed train- and expanding access to and mental health infrastruc- released its 2020 Children’s ing for teachers, develop school-based social workers ture, particularly in under- And as for television programs, we would, over the years, Legislative Agenda, a series a state plan for counseling and school counselors. served and rural areas. watch “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Charlie Brown Christ- of public policy goals aimed within schools that includes Criminal Justice Reform: “The goal of this Chil- mas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” at improving child well-be- social emotional learning Oklahoma must allow more dren’s Legislative Agenda is ing in Oklahoma. The Chil- standards, expand the DHS families to remain intact by Being away from home for many years and having to dren’s Legislative Agenda school-based service work- reducing the incarceration to improve living conditions work, I began some of my own traditions, such as seeing a was drafted with input from er program, and implement rate, emphasizing drug and for young people in Oklaho- movie on Christmas Day. When I worked in Amarillo, I did attendees at OICA’s Fall Fo- other policies directed to- mental health treatment, and ma,” said OICA Board Pres- the Christmas shift — be it obits, police or general assign- rum, which included experts wards providing assistance reevaluating fines and fees ident Mitchell Rozin. “This from state agencies, foster to low-income families. associated with juvenile jus- is not a partisan agenda; it ment — and went to the movies afterward on three different parents and foster care spe- tice. Education and Early was created at the direction years there. cialists, summer food pro- Childhood Development: Health and Behavioral of the men and women who One year at a different paper, I couldn’t make it home one gram professionals, mental Oklahoma must improve Health: Oklahoma must in- work every day with at-risk year because I was on police scanner duty. A friend visited health specialists, concerned student outcomes at ev- crease access to primary and youth and struggling fami- citizens, and legislators. ery level, including college preventative care as well lies. We urge lawmakers in me, and we went outside at one point and tossed around a The Agenda focuses on graduation rates, by laying as mental health services. football. I broke my finger catching a pass. Later that night, four areas of concern: a stronger educational foun- Oklahoma should maximize both parties to work together to help these children and after he left, I had to go a fire. At-Risk Youth: Okla- dation for very young chil- all available federal match- homa must address the very dren. That will necessitate ing funds for health care in families by implementing That wasn’t a pleasant Christmas, all the way around. high levels of children expe- changes such as: providing Oklahoma, remove barriers these policies. Doing so will Definitely not a Christmas tradition that anybody would riencing traumatic experi- greater assistance to low-in- to the use of telehealth, in- help to build a stronger state want to duplicate. ences at an early age and of- come families seeking high crease the number of com- and a better place to live for Money for noth ing? The finger, incidentally, was in a cast for weeks. Because fer greater resources to those quality childcare, improving munity health centers and all Oklahomans.” ing’ it was an index finger, I had to learn how to type without it. One other tradition that our family did in years past was take a tour of lights at a neighborhood in my hometown. Here in Elk City, we have Christmas in the Park. In my hometown — in Arlington, Texas — we have a long-stand- ing light display at Interlochen, a neighborhood located in By Jonathan Small again and again and again. with such legislation: back highly mobile, and the northwest Arlington and just down the road from the stadi- For decades, Oklahoma It didn’t take long before where we started. 20-something who hires on politicians vowed they could Oklahoma had some of the The impact ofpast pension as an educator or support ums, including JerryWorld. The light display begins today defy the laws of financial re- worst-funded state pension raids continues to be felt personnel today probably and runs through Christmas. The event has drawn — dig this ality by giving state retirees systems in the nation. The throughout the state. For one won't remain there for the — 100,000 visitors, and it started in 1976, according to a sto- ever-larger benefit checks teachers’ retirement system thing, lawmakers have had next three decades. Plus, ry in the Monday edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. without paying for those was in especially bad shape to direct hundreds of mil- the current outdated defined benefits, without any im- with a funded ratio that hov- lions in additional funding to I haven’t been to Interlochen’s light display in a few pact on other taxpayers, and ered around just 50 percent. the existing system to shore benefit plans provide em- years, and it kinda sorta felt like thousands of people were without any impact on the Thanks to several reform it up. That’s money that ployees no asset that can there that night. The event is free and can take a bit of time rest of state government. laws passed in the last de- would have otherwise gone be passed on to help other Rather than provide “mon- cade, the situation has im- to other needs like schools, family members or their fu- for your vehicle to travel through the area. Police oversee ey for nothing” to retirees, proved dramatically. One of roads and public safety. Re- ture generations. It’s time to traffic control. People may opt to walk through the neigh- however, those politicians the most significant reforms member in 2018 when leg- provide all non-hazard duty borhoods if they prefer. Vendors peddled food and drinks instead saddled Oklahomans was to require full funding islators claimed they had to government workers with a the last time I went. with enormous unfunded for benefit increases (imag- raise taxes to cover expens- 401(k) style retirement plan Hey, what’s Christmas without capitalism? As American liabilities that left current ine that!). But legislation es? Those tax increases are whose assets follow them teachers and state workers one logical outcome of state when they leave a govern- filed in 2019, which could as apple pie, folks. [The newspaper story said vendors can’t with an unsecure retirement advance in 2020, would pension raids. ment job. be in the roadway or right-of-way.] and forced the diversion evade that requirement and Rather than repeat a re- Oklahoma needs a modern Residents decorating their homes vie for awards, includ- of millions from schools, provide increased retirement grettable part of our history, retirement system fitted to ing the Griswold Award for the most over-the-top decora- roads, and other needs. benefits without funding. lawmakers need to embrace the needs of modern work- There were 19 “cost of Instead, it would raid state real reform. That means not tion, in recognition of the Chevy Chase character named living” adjustments provid- pensions of more than $850 only admitting that pension ers, not a “greatest hits” re- Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vaca- ed to state employees from million, according to esti- benefits should be funded, run of the failed financial tion.” 1975 to 2008, and most were mates. even if that means legislators policies of the past. Well, what would Christmas be without Clark Griswold? approved without any fund- One doesn’t have to be must provide less spending Jonathan Small serves as ing. So how did lawmakers a certified public accoun- to other state agencies, but president of the Oklahoma ‘Whatever your traditions may be, have a Merry Christ- “pay” for those COLAs? tant—although I am—to also overhauling the system. Council of Public Affairs mas and a happy 2020. By raiding pension assets know where we're headed Today’s workforce is (www.ocpathink.org). 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