January 25, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, January 25, 2020 Opinion Page The love of a pet eight, he was diagnosed with knew. Just before Jo-Jo turned “ElkCituNews Glynda Lomax is a Chris- tian author and podcaster As Samuel Butler once said, “The great pleasure ofa dog diabetes. Twice a day she would give him his shots of insulin, feed him his Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 who resides in the Ozark is that you may make a fool special food and do all the of yourself with him and not Meals on Wheels Mountains of Northern Ar- things loving owners do for kansas with her two very only will he not scold you, their best friends when they bossy dogs. She wrote her but he will make a fool of are ill. Around the time he provides essential first About Life column in himself too.” turned nine years old, Jo-Jo 2003 for a newspaper in Recently a friend shared began to worsen. Dallas. She is planning her with me the story of her Finally, one morning, the next book. phantom schnauzer, Jo-Jo, service owner went to let Jo-Jo out Glenda Lomax who went everywhere with of his carrier and discovered “Dogs have given us their her. She worked for awhile he was so severely weak- do together. She prayed for By Don Munsch, Editor absolute all. We are the cen- in a nursing home and she ened he could hardly stand, comfort for the both of them ter of their universe. We are related how Jo-Jo went He had not been eating well as she watched him close Ambition accomplished. the focus of their love and with her daily and made his and was so disoriented that his eyes for the last time and Even if it took a decade. faith and trust. They serve rounds of the patients, bring- now he barely functioned. the tears continued to stream I did some stories years ago on Meals on Wheels in the us in return for scraps. It is ing tail-wagging cheer to ev- The owner knew what she down her face. Awhile later, without a doubt the best deal ery room. must do, though it broke place where I was living in at the time. After doing the sto- she still held his frail lifeless man has ever made.” On days when Jo-Jo did her heart to do it. She loved ries, I wanted to go out a route and see how the operation ~ Roger Caras not accompany her to her job her little friend Jo-Jo and body and stroked his pale worked. You can’t entirely gauge how something works un- knew from this point on he fur, not wanting to let go of or wherever her errands led No friend will ever be as her that day, he waited pa- would only suffer worse. her friend, even though she less you experience it firsthand. loyal, no companion as con- tiently by the door until she She walked all the way to knew his bright little spirit But my job and life itself got in the way, and I never got stant, as a dog will. You can arrived home, then danced the veterinarian’s office, car- had gone. around to doing it. tell them anything and they with joy at the appearance of rying her sick friend in her never repeat it. They are her. Many years went by and arms, tears streaming down The Elk City Rotary Club has volunteered to help fuzzy loving miracles with Jo-Jo was her constant com- her face, as she talked sooth- “God spoke to me then,” with the local Meals and Wheels, and this month, Rotarians paws. They worship you panion and friend. When she ingly just to have those last she said. “He told me that deliver meals around town as part of a community service with their eyes and they will moved across the state and few minutes with him. As Jo-Jo was already in Heav- accept you just as you are. the veterinarian admin had to find homes for two project. As a Rotarian, I volunteered to do routes on a day They ask nothing in return other beloved dogs, it was tered what would be Jo-Jo’s en, sitting by the gate, wait- that best suited my schedule: Friday. except the occasional pet- Jo-Jo she kept with her. final shot, she held him gen- ing for me to come home to Last Friday, fellow Rotarian Basil Weatherly and I did ting, food and water. When Whenever she was upset, tly and told him goodbye. him.” you play with them, their lit- Jo-Jo would come quietly Her grief at losing her best one of the routes. Basil drove and I delivered the hot meals tle furry faces light up with and lay beside her, bring- friend was overwhelming “You think dogs will not be to the people on one of the four routes. delight and happy doggy ing his own special brand of and she dreaded the days in heaven? I tell you, they My parents used to received food from Meals on Wheels, smiles. It’s hard to imagine comfort to her. Though he ahead as she thought of his anything more wonderful empty carrier at home, his will be there long before any had no knowledge of human and by reporting on the group around a decade ago and now than a basket-full of pup- problems, he understood favorite chair, his toys, and of us.” ~ Robert Louis Ste- getting a first-hand glimpse of what goes on, I can see that pies to cheer up a rainy day. love and he gave what he all the things they used to venson the organization fulfills an important need. My next deliv- ery date is Friday. It’s been a great experience, and I would recommend volunteering for the group. Offshore bans hurt working class America By Donald Bryson territories. This policy pre- 20 years. is earmarked for the Land Congressional Democrats vents companies from ac- Still, Democrats claim it’s and Water Conservation just betrayed America’s cessing energy riches in the an environmental imperative Fund, which helps finance working class. Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic to ban offshore drilling. Rep. environmental preservation The Super Bowl is next weekend — Feb. 2 —and the game Late last year, the House Oceans -- as well as the Gulf Joe Cunningham, a South and national parks. Offshore will feature the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. passed a series of bills ban- of Mexico. Carolina Democrat and operations contribute $900 For the team winning the Big Game, it will be a long time ning offshore energy devel- Soon after taking office, lead sponsor of one of the million to this fund every coming. opment, a significant source President Trump vowed to bills said that offshore drill- year. If Democrats have their of employment for blue- lift this ban and revamp off- ing would “ruin our vibrant way, that money will vanish. The 49ers haven’t won the Super Bowl since the “94 sea- collar Americans. Fueled by shore energy production. But natural resources.” Beto Luckily, these bills won't son. For the Chiefs, it has been 50 years since they played environmental fervor, these House Democrats are doing O'Rourke told a crowd that get far. The Republican-con- in Super Bowl, and they won that game, 23-7, over Min- lawmakers are willing to their best to stop him. The “offshore drilling threatens trolled Senate will never go sacrifice opportunities for bills they passed last month the local wildlife.” for such an extreme plan and nesota. their most important con- would ban energy develop- These concerns are en- President Trump has prom- I finished college at a school — Northwest Missouri State stituents. ment off of the Atlantic, Pa- tirely unwarranted. Offshore ised to veto any offshore — that was located in Maryville, located about 90 miles There could be up to 90 cific, and Alaskan coasts. drilling is getting safer by bans that cross his desk. billion barrels of oil and 328 These policies deny work- the year. And energy devel- Still, actions speak louder north of KC. Takes about the same amount of time to travel trillion cubic feet of gas bur- ing-class Americans prime opment is tightly regulated than words, By moving this from here to Oklahoma City as it does Maryville to KC. I ied beneath federally owned employment opportunities. to protect the environment. legislation, House Demo- did an internship one summer at a paper in Kansas City. sections of the ocean floor. Jobs in the offshore sector Every rig employs at least crats have shown that they My school — a Division II university like Southwestern That’s enough oil and natu- often don’t require a college one “species observer” who aren’t serious about improv- ral gas to power the United degree, are largely immune is empowered to stop devel- ing the lives of the work- Oklahoma State in Weatherford — has won six national ti- States for over a decade. to outsourcing, and pay opment if marine animals ing class. If they were, they tles in football, but all of them came afterI left the school. Ideally, energy companies an average salary north of come too close to operations. wouldn’t pursue policies that ‘When I was in school — or at least my last semester at would lease these underwa- $110,000. Even under exist- If anything, this anti- make it harder for Americans Northwest — someone named Joe Montana was quarter- ter lands from the govern- ing federal constraints, off- offshore campaign could to find good, stable jobs. ment and extract this bounty. shore development supports damage the environment by Donald Bryson is. presi- backing the Chiefs. Joe Cool won four Super Bowls with Unfortunately, the Obama 300,000 jobs. choking off funding for a dent and CEO of the Civitas the 49ers. administration outlawed en- Opening up offshore ter- critical federal conservation Institute, a nonprofit public Do I have a rooting interest in the Super Bowl? I don’t ergy development in over 90 ritory would create 730,000 program. A slice of tax reve- policy organization based in have any emotional investment in the Chiefs, even though percent of federal offshore additional jobs over the next nue from offshore operations Raleigh. Six simple mental health I lived in Missouri for a couple of years. If the Chiefs do win,I would be happy for Kansas City coach Andy Reid, who has yet to win a Super Bowl as a head coach. He was the head coach in Philadelphia when the Eagles lost the Su- per Bowl in the 2004 season. And I would be happy for the Hunt family, who has owned the team since its inception as the Dallas Texans. Founder Lamar Hunt died in 2006. resolutions for 2020 by James Bost should work and find what drugs and alcohol. While and create an environment He also was the primary architect of the American Football As the new year dawns, does work for you. A healthy using drugs or alcohol may that supports that feeling. League, which eventually merged with the National Foot- so does the hope for a better diet, exercise and a normal seem appealing in the mo- Do you love to travel? Al- ball League in 1970 and became two conferences: Ameri- and more prosperous year. sleep schedule are essential ment, they are harmful ways be planning your next can Football Conference and National Football Conference. Resolutions are a popular for good mental health. Talk to your long-term mental way to determine specific with your doctor about de- health. Avoiding alcohol in trip. Even if it'll be several goals and make paths toward veloping healthy habits. Be particular can be challeng- years away looking ahead Back to the game, I respect both teams and organizations and just want to see a good game. success come into focus. honest, if you hate running, ing when socializing and at- will bring you happiness AndI certainly hope we have some entertaining com- Here are six simple resolu- then quit trying to be a run- tending networking events, long before you head to the mercials this year if the game doesn’t pan out. tions to make for better men- ner and take up biking or so find strategies that work airport. Love animals? Find tal health. rowing. Find a routine that for you. If you do use alco- a local shelter to volunteer Resolution: Take control hol or drugs, be honest and at. Find those things that you look forward to and it of your life - There are many will be easy to keep. tell your therapist or doctor aspects of life, such as flat Resolution: Build your because it affects your care makefind your day brighter and ways to infuse them into tires, taxes, and bad hair- support network - Keeping plan. cuts, that cannot be avoided. in touch with friends and Resolution: Unplug from your daily life. However, much more of life family is a fundamental part social media - Social media NAMI Oklahoma__ pro- is in our control. Take an in- of maintaining good men- is a great way to stay con- vides plenty of opportunities ventory of your life. Think tal health. Build a commu- nected but can also create to help you meet your mental through your relationships, nity of support that includes a disconnection, For some, health resolutions from lead- Send your your career, your commit- ments, etc. What is life giv- ing and what is detrimental family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, a faith commu- social media feeds only cre- ate more anxiety or depres- ing a NAMI class or attend- nity and people you meet sion. Comparing your life ing one of our many support to your mental well-being? through activities and hob- to someone else is simply groups offered across the editorial to Once you determine what bies. Having a large number unrealistic. Taking a break state. Give us a call, we'd changes you want to make of people that you can count for a few hours a day might love to help. For more in- create small sustainable on and who count on you give you the time to connect formation on NAMI Okla- goals down a path that will is part of cultivating good with others and even focus homa, visit https://www.na- editor@ take you to a brighter future. mental health. These sup- ‘on your own self-care. Resolution: Find a routine portive relationships allow Resolution: Stay positive mioklahoma.org/. James is the Executive that works for you - Every- you to be heard and provide - Surrounding yourself with Director of the National Al- ecdailynews.com one is different and therefore an opportunity for your per- positive people and mes- the things that work for one sonal needs to be met. sages makes you feel bet- liance on Mental Iliness of person won’t work for an- Resolution: Avoid drugs ter. Think about what makes Oklahoma (NAMI Oklaho- other. Stop trving to do what and alcohol - Trv to avoid vou optimistic and hoveful ma).