OPINION
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015
Open forum
The real treasure
D
THE
EGGS
AND I
By MURIEL JENSEN
M
\OLIHLV¿OOHGZLWK
PLUDFOHV ELJ DQG
small.
, VKRXOG QR ORQJHU EH
VXUSULVHGDWWKLVSRLQW
, PHDQ P\ PRWKHU GLHG
ZKHQ,ZDVPRQWKVROGDQG
, HQGHG XS ZLWK WKH FRROHVW
NLQGHVWDGRSWLYHSDUHQWVDQ\
RQHFRXOGHYHUDVNIRU
,Q /RV $QJHOHV D PH
JDFLW\ ¿OOHG ZLWK IDVWPRY
LQJVWUDQJHUV,IRXQGWKHRQH
PDQLQWKHZRUOGZKRZRXOG
XQGHUVWDQGP\QHHGIRUNLGV
FDWVDQGFKRFRODWH²DQGKH
IHOOLQORYHZLWKPH
'HVSLWH D ERG\ WKDW UH
IXVHG WR JLYH PH FKLOGUHQ
, SUD\HG WKDW ZH¶G EH DEOH
WR DGRSW D EDE\ DQG WZR
PRQWKVODWHUZKHQZHZHUH
WROG LW ZRXOG EH WZR \HDUV
ZHZHUHJLIWHGZLWKDIDPL
O\RIWKUHHDJHVDQG
2XUIDPLO\LVQRZHQRUPRXV
ZLWKVSRXVHVJUDQGFKLOGUHQ
JUHDWJUDQGFKLOGUHQ
DQG
ZRQGHUIXOLQODZV
, VWLOO KDYH P\ KXVEDQG
DIWHU PRUH WKDQ D GR]HQ
056$LQIHFWLRQVDQGGLDEH
WHV WKDW¶V JURZQ YHU\ HUUDWLF
DIWHUDOLIHWLPHRISUHGLFWDELO
LW\ ,W¶V QR ZRQGHU ZRPHQ
VHH ¿UHPHQ DV VXFK KHURHV
7KH\ ZHUH KHUH UHFHQWO\
LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH QLJKW
ZKHQ 5RQ¶V EORRG VXJDU
KDGGURSSHGWR,ZDVVR
VFDUHGDQGWKH\ZHUHVRFDOP
DQGFRPSHWHQW
S
R,¶YHJURZQXVHGWRWKH
big miracles in my life,
EXW WKH OLWWOH RQHV FRQWLQXHG
WR FRQIRXQG DQG DPD]H PH
7KH PRVW UHFHQW PLUDFOH
EHJDQ ZKHQ WKH ODUGHU ZDV
It’s the little miracles
that continue to
confound and amaze me.
W riter’s
N otebook
ORZ DQG 5RQ ZDV
5RQ¶V IDYRULWH ²
IHHOLQJ WRR SRRU
WKHQ WRRN WKH GRJ
O\ WR OHDYH DORQH
TXLFNO\DURXQGWKH
ZKLOH , ZHQW WR
EORFN%\WKHWLPH
WKHVWRUH6R,UDQ
, JRW KRPH ² ,
DFURVVWKHVWUHHWWR
VZHDU WKLV LV WUXH
ERUURZ WZR HJJV
²5RQZDVDWWKH
IRU EUHDNIDVW 0\
GRRULQKLVZDONHU
QHLJKERU ZRUNLQJ
ZLWK D ELJ VPLOH
XQGHU WKH KRRG RI
³<RX¶YH GRQH LW
KLV FDU SRLQWHG D
DJDLQ´KHVDLG
Muriel
ZUHQFKWRZDUGKLV
$OO WKH SRVVL
Jensen
KRXVH DQG VDLG
ELOLWLHV RI ZKDW ,
³7DNHZKDWHYHU\RXQHHG´
FRXOGKDYH³GRQHDJDLQ´UDQ
,FRXOGQRW¿QGRQHHJJ WKURXJK P\ PLQG 0HOWHG
+LV ZLIH LV D FDWHUHU RQ WKH WKHWHDNHWWOHRQWRWKHEXUQ
VLGH DQG KDG EHHQ ZRUNLQJ HU" )RUJRW WR WXUQ RII WKH
DW D TXLOW VKRZ VLQFH HDUO\ SKRQH"/HIWWKH
PRUQLQJ , FRQFOXGHG VKH
PXVWKDYHWDNHQHYHU\HJJLQ
WKHKRXVHZLWKKHU
6R , ZDONHG D IHZ
KRXVHV XS WKH VWUHHW
DQG WULHG DQ
RWKHU QHLJKERU
ZKR VDLG VKH¶G
MXVW XVHG WKH
ODVW RQH LQ D
EURZQLH PL[
, WKDQNHG KHU
DQG ZDONHG
KRPH WKLQNLQJ
WKDW LI , FRXOGQ¶W
KDYH WKH HJJ D
EURZQLHPL[ZDVDQR
EOHHQGIRULW
,PDGHKRWFHUHDO²QRW
LFH FUHDP RXW" %XW KH ZDV
smiling. Hm.
‘F
ROORZ PH´ KH VDLG
DQGOHGWKHZD\WRWKH
NLWFKHQ2QWKHFRXQWHUZHUH
IRXU GR]HQ HJJV , VWDUHG LQ
GLVEHOLHI 7KHUH ZHUH WZR
RQHGR]HQ FDUWRQV DQG RQH
SDFN
³$IWHU \RX OHIW &XUW UH
PHPEHUHG WKDW 5RVHPDU\
KDG WDNHQ DOO WKH HJJV´ KH
H[SODLQHG³VRKHZHQWWRWKH
VWRUHWRJHWXVDGR]HQ%DU
EDUDXVHGKHUODVWHJJZHQW
WRJHWKHUVHOIDQRWKHUGR]HQ
DQGJRWRQHIRUXVWRRWKHQ
5RVHPDU\ FDPH KRPH IURP
WKHTXLOWVKRZZLWKWZRGR]
HQ HJJV VKH GLGQ¶W XVH´ +H
JULQQHG DW PH ³<RX SUD\HG
IRUHJJVGLGQ¶W\RX"´
7KLV LV DOO DWWULEXWDEOH
WR *RG¶V JRRGQHVV DQG WKH
NLQGQHVV RI QHLJKERUV EXW
RQWKHFKDQFHWKDWP\VNLOOV
SOD\ DQ\ SDUW ,¶P WXUQLQJ
P\IRFXVWRWKH0LGGOH(DVW
ZRUOG KXQJHU DQG UDFLDO LQ
MXVWLFH %XW , PLJKW QHHG
VRPHKHOS:KR¶VZLWKPH"
Astoria resident Mu-
riel Jensen has pub-
lished more than
70 books and
novellas.
XULQJ P\ ÀLJKW EDFN WR
UHDOLW\ , KDG WLPH WR UH
ÀHFW RQ P\ GD\V VSHQW RQ
WKH 2UHJRQ FRDVW IRU ³7KH
*RRQLHV´ WK $QQLYHUVD
U\7KH WULS LQ P\ H\HV ZDV
DQ DEVROXWH VXFFHVV 0\
ZLIH DQG , WUDYHOHG DFURVV
WKH FRXQWU\ IURP 3RUWODQG
0DLQHWRFHOHEUDWHRQHRIWKH
JUHDWHVW¿OPVHYHUPDGHUH
FDSWXUH VRPH WUXH FKLOGKRRG
QRVWDOJLD DQG PD\EH HYHQ
¿QGVRPH³5LFK6WXII´
7KH ZHDWKHU WKRXJK QRW
YHU\ *RRQLHOLNH ZDV WHU
UL¿F 1RW VR PXFK DV D VLQ
JOH GURS RI UDLQ IHOO GXULQJ
WKH HQWLUH WULS 7KH KRWHO ZH
SLFNHG ZDV JUHDW 7KH ORFD
WLRQ ZDV FHQWUDO WKH EHGV
ZKHUH FRPIRUWDEOH DQG WKH\
HYHQRIIHUHGIUHHEUHDNIDVW
7KH 5LFK 6WXII ZDV SOHQ
WLIXO +RZ DPD]LQJ LV LW WR
EHDEOHWRVWDQGLQWKHDFWXDO
KRXVH IURP ³7KH *RRQLHV´
OLQH XS D GRXEORRQ DW &DQ
QRQ%HDFKRUSRVHLQWKHMDLO
FHOO" +RZ PXFK IXQ LV LW WR
ZDWFKWKHPRYLHLQDWKHDWHU
JRERZOLQJDW&KXQN¶VERZO
LQJ DOOH\ RU ¿QG WKDW QHZHVW
*RRQLHVJHDUIRU\RXUFROOHF
WLRQ"
+RZFDQ\RXHYHQEHJLQWR
GHVFULEHWRVRPHRQHWKHIHHO
LQJ \RX JHW ZKHQ +D\VWDFN
5RFN ¿UVW HQWHUV \RXU YLHZ"
7KH JRRVH EXPSV \RX IHHO
ZKHQ \RX GULYH RQ WKH URDG
WR (FROD 6WDWH 3DUN"7KH H[
FLWHPHQWRIPHHWLQJ&KXQNLQ
SHUVRQ"$OO RI WKLV DQG PRUH
UHSUHVHQWV WKH ³5LFK 6WXII´
WKDW,IRXQGGXULQJP\WULS
7KHVH H[SHULHQFHV PDNH
XS DQ H[FLWLQJ SLHFH RI
*RRQLHVIDQGRPEXWWKH\GR
QRWUHSUHVHQWWKHUHDOJHPVRI
WKHWULS7KHWUXWKLVWKHUHDO
WUHDVXUH , IRXQG LQ $VWRULD
ZDV WKH SHRSOH 7KH SHRSOH
PDGHWKLVWULSDVXFFHVV
1HYHU EHIRUH KDYH , H[
SHULHQFHG VR PDQ\ SHRSOH
IURPVRPDQ\GLIIHUHQWZDONV
RI OLIH DQG GLIIHUHQW SDUWV RI
WKHZRUOGFRPHWRJHWKHUDQG
VKRZ XQFRQGLWLRQDO ORYH IRU
RQH DQRWKHU 6WUDQJHUV PDGH
LQWR IDPLO\ E\ D FRPPRQ
LQYLVLEOH ERQG 7KH SHRSOH
IRVWHUHG D ZRQGHUIXO HQYL
URQPHQW ZKHUH HYHU\RQH
ZDVIUHHWREHZKRWKH\UHDO
O\ZHUHIUHHRIMXGJPHQWDQG
HPEUDFHG IRU WKHLU LGLRV\Q
FUDVLHV $ JURXS RI RXWFDVWV
WKDWWKURXJKWKHLUVKDUHGORYH
RI D PRYLH RYHUFDPH JUHDW
REVWDFOHV WR PDNH DQ HYHQW
OLNHWKLVKDSSHQ
1HHG D SODFH WR VWD\"
$ ULGH IURP WKH DLUSRUW" $
WLFNHW WR DQ HYHQW" $QRWKHU
*RRQLHZLOOKDYH\RXUEDFN
,DPSURXGWRVD\,ZDVDSDUW
RIVXFKDJUHDWVHOÀHVVJURXS
RI SHRSOH :LWKRXW WKH SHR
SOH P\ PRYLH TXRWHV ZRXOG
KDYH ZDQHG VLOHQWO\ LQ WKH
QLJKW P\ :DUUHQ )LHOG S\U
DPLGZRXOGKDYHEHHQSUHWW\
ZHDN DQG PRVW LPSRUWDQW
O\²WKLVHYHQWZRXOGQHYHU
KDYHKDSSHQHG
:DWFKLQJ ³7KH *RRQLHV´
RQ D IRRW VFUHHQ LV DQ
DZHVRPHH[SHULHQFH:DWFK
LQJ ³7KH *RRQLHV´ RQ D
IRRW VFUHHQ ZLWK RWKHU
*RRQLHVZDVPDJLFDO
, ZRXOG WUDGH DOO WKH ULFK
VWXII LQ WKH ZRUOG IRU WKH
WUHDVXUH WKDW LV P\ IHOORZ
*RRQLHV , ORYH \RX JX\V
7KDQN\RXDOOIRUPDNLQJP\
WULSVRPHPRUDEOH
5+$''$9,6
3RUWODQG0DLQH
Infrastructure needs
I
HQWKXVLDVWLFDOO\ WRRN SDUW LQ
SURPRWLQJWRXULVPLQ$VWRULD
ZKHQ , ZRUNHG IRU WKH &KDP
EHU RI &RPPHUFH IURP
WKURXJK1RZLWPD\EH
WLPHWRFKDQJHFRXUVH
$VWRULD KDV EHFRPH D YHU\
GHVLUDEOH WRXULVP GHVWLQDWLRQ
DQG RXU PDQ\ YLVLWRUV KHOS
VXSSRUW WKH EXVLQHVVHV DQG DW
WUDFWLRQV ZH ORFDOV HQMR\ %XW
DQ\ GHVWLQDWLRQ KDV D SRLQW DW
ZKLFKPRUHLVQRWEHWWHUZKHUH
FURZGLQJ DQG WUDI¿F EHJLQ WR
GHJUDGHWKHH[SHULHQFHIRUYLV
LWRUV DQG UHVLGHQWV DOLNH /DVW
VXPPHU IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH ,
WKLQNZHDSSURDFKHGWKDWSRLQW
/RGJLQJ WD[HV JHQHUDWH D
VLJQL¿FDQW DPRXQW RI UHYH
QXHLQ$VWRULDEXWDFKDQJHLQ
VWDWHODZLQUHVWULFWVKRZ
WKDW PRQH\ FDQ EH XVHG $W
WKLVSRLQW,EHOLHYHZHQHHGWR
VSHQG OHVV SURPRWLQJ WRXULVP
DQGPRUHRQWKHLQIUDVWUXFWXUH
WKDWKHOSVWKLQJVUXQVPRRWKO\
ZKHQ RXU YLVLWRUV DUH KHUH ,W
PD\WDNHDPRGL¿FDWLRQRIWKH
ODZ WR IUHH XS PRUH IXQGV IRU
WKDWSXUSRVH
7RXULVP KDV ODUJHO\ EHHQ
JRRG IRU $VWRULD SURYLGLQJ
SUR¿WVMREVDQGDPHQLWLHV7KH
DWWUDFWLYHQHVVRIRXUFRPPXQL
W\DQGZRUGRIPRXWKZLOOOLNH
O\NHHSYLVLWRUVFRPLQJ6ROHW¶V
EHJLQ D FRPPXQLW\ FRQYHUVD
WLRQDERXWKRZEHVWWRHPEUDFH
RXUYLVLWRUVZKLOHPDLQWDLQLQJ
WKHFKDUDFWHUDQGTXDOLW\RIOLIH
WKDW ZH ² DQG WKH\ ² KROG
GHDU
52*(552&.$
$VWRULD
Rethink decision
T
KHFLW\RI$VWRULD¶VFRXQFLO
PHHWLQJ RQ -XQH ZDV D
MRNH$OORZLQJWKUHHSHRSOHWR
FKDQJH WKH HQWLUH ORRN RI $V
WRULD LV DOPRVW FULPLQDO 7KLV
LV RI HQRXJK LPSRUWDQFH WKDW
WKHSHRSOHZKROLYHLQ$VWRULD
VKRXOGEHDEOHWRYRWHRQWKLV
$OVR ZKDW¶V WKH KXU
U\" 7KH\ KDYH EHHQ ZRUNLQJ
RQ WKLV SODQ IRU PDQ\ \HDUV
EXW ZK\ QRW WDNH D OLWWOH PRUH
WLPH DQG GR LW ULJKW" $VWRULD
FDQKDYHWKHLUFDNHDQGHDWLW
WRR/HDYHWKHULYHUVLGHDORQH
VR WKDW WKH SHRSOH XVLQJ WKH
5LYHUZDON FDQ FRQWLQXH WR DG
PLUHWKHVFHQHU\7KHQGHYHORS
RQ WKH VRXWK VLGH ZLWK VRPH
KHLJKWUHVWULFWLRQVZKLFKFRXOG
EHPDGHHDVLO\HQRXJKWRPDNH
PRVWSHRSOHKDSS\
2QH RI WKH EHVW WKLQJV WKDW
KDVKDSSHQHGWR$VWRULDLVRXU
WUROOH\,IZHGHYHORSWKHULYHU
VLGHZHPLJKWMXVWDVZHOOJHW
ULGRIWKHWUROOH\EHFDXVHLWZLOO
EHFRPHXVHOHVV
3OHDVH 0D\RU $UOLQH
/DPHDU DQG &RXQFLORUV 5XVV
:DUU DQG =HWW\ 1HPORZLOO
5HWKLQN \RXU GHFLVLRQ DQG GR
ZKDW¶VULJKWIRU$VWRULD
6</9,$'$9,6
$VWRULD
Show some respect
T
KLVOHWWHULVLQUHJDUGWRWKH
DUWLFOH ³/RQJ %HDFK SXU
VXHV SDWK WR VNDWLQJ GUHDPV´
The Daily Astorian,0D\
7KH LGHD RI D VNDWLQJ SDUN
LV DOO ZHOO DQG JRRG EXW , DP
UHDOO\ERWKHUHGE\/RQJ%HDFK
&RXQFLOPDQ'HO0XUU\¶VFRP
PHQW ³,W¶V PLQGERJJOLQJ WR
PHWKDWWKHUHLVVXFKUHVLVWDQFH
:HGRDOOWKLVVWXIIIRUYHWHUDQV
DQGUHWLUHGSHRSOH´
,ILWZDVQ¶WIRUDOORIWKHYHW
HUDQV WKHUH SRVVLEO\ ZRXOGQ¶W
EH D SODFH WR GR DQ\WKLQJ OLNH
WKHUHLVQRZ0HPRULDO'D\LV
QRWMXVWDQRWKHUGD\RII0D\EH
0XUU\KDVQRLGHDZKDWLWUHDOO\
PHDQVOLNHPRVWRIWKH\RXQJ
SHRSOH$VIRUWKHUHWLUHGSHR
SOH VKRZ WKHP VRPH UHVSHFW
$IWHUDOOKLVIRONVPLJKWEHUH
WLUHG²RUHYHQDYHWHUDQ
0XUU\ VD\V WKH ELJJHVW RE
VWDFOHPD\EHZLQQLQJVXSSRUW
IURP WKH SXEOLF :LWK D FRP
PHQWOLNHWKDW,GRQ¶WVHHKRZ
KHFRXOGUDLVHPXFKVXSSRUW
-$&.:(,&+$/
5HWLUHG9LHWQDPYHWHUDQ
1HKDOHP
:KHUHWRZULWH
• U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
(D)5D\EXUQ+2%:DVKLQJ
WRQ '& 3KRQH
)D[ 'LVWULFW
RI¿FH 6: 0LOOLNDQ :D\
6XLWH %HDYHUWRQ 25
3KRQH)D[
:HEERQDPLFLKRXVHJRY
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D):
+DUW 6HQDWH 2I¿FH %XLOGLQJ
:DVKLQJWRQ '& 3KRQH
:HE ZZZPHUNOH\
VHQDWHJRY
• U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D):
'LUNVHQ6HQDWH2I¿FH%XLOGLQJ
:DVKLQJWRQ '& 3KRQH
:HE ZZZZ\GHQ
VHQDWHJRY
• State Rep. Brad Witt (D):
6WDWH&DSLWRO&RXUW6WUHHW1(
+ 6DOHP 25 3KRQH
:HE ZZZOHJVWDWH
RUXVZLWW (PDLO UHSEUDGZLWW#
VWDWHRUXV
• State Rep. Deborah Boone
(D)&RXUW6W1(+6D
OHP 25 3KRQH
(PDLO UHSGHERUDK ERRQH#
VWDWHRUXV'LVWULFWRI¿FH32%R[
&DQQRQ %HDFK 25
3KRQH :HE ZZZ
OHJVWDWHRUXVERRQH
• State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D):
6WDWH &DSLWRO &RXUW 6W 1(
66DOHP257HOHSKRQH
(PDLOVHQEHWV\MRKQ
VRQ#VWDWHRUXV :HE ZZZEHWV\
MRKQVRQFRP'LVWULFW2I¿FH32%R[
56FDSSRRVH253KRQH
)D[$VWRULD
RI¿FHSKRQH
• Port of Astoria([HFXWLYH'L
UHFWRU3LHU6XLWH$VWRULD
25 3KRQH
(PDLODGPLQ#SRUWRIDVWRULDFRP
• Clatsop County Board of
Commissioners FR &RXQW\ 0DQ
DJHU ([FKDQJH 6W 6XLWH
$VWRULD253KRQH
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher • LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
• CARL EARL, Systems Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
• DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager
Founded in 1873
