Time to wake up and spring ahead

I’m guessing you remembered to set your clocks ahead last night, so you won’t be late for that breakfast date you have this morning. Yes, it’s that time of year when we supposedly gain an hour.

I always somehow manage to lose it on a daily basis and end up wondering why I even bother to claim it every spring. I honestly don’t need an extra hour of dawn’s early light to plow straight furrows in the field I don’t have.

It’s always time to do something. Do you realize you have to register to vote in Firestone’s election which is scheduled for April 2?

I recently had my eyes opened by the fact that there are so many people in our area who just don’t vote. In fact, some have never voted in their entire life.

That is hard for me to comprehend, especially when I see people in other countries fighting for the right to elect someone they want to govern them. We don’t even have to pay anything but a few minutes of our time. What a bargain!

Of course, we use time as an excuse for not doing things we should be doing. I can hear you now, “Oh, I just don’t have time to vote. I have to pick up Sally and Johnny and take them to soccer practice.

Then, I have to go by the grocery store and pick up food for tonight’s dinner.

Then, I have to start the laundry, then I have to blah, blah, blah …” — nothing but hollow excuses.

If you want a better community for you and your family, you have to step up to the plate and cast your vote for the candidates you want to help reach that goal.

Spring is almost here, and with spring comes hope. But, what exactly is the reality of hope?

We all hope for one thing or another during our lifetime.

We hope you have a good day; we hope you succeed; we hope your dreams come true, etc. But, what exactly is the reality of hope?

In one sense, hope can be defined as wishing for something and expecting it to materialize. Perhaps the best way to find an answer is to dissect the word itself.

So, take a look at the word hope as it relates to our lives.

• H: To have hope we must have a compassionate heart.

• O: To have hope we must be optimistic and believe in our vision.

• P: To have hope we must preserve and keep moving forward.

• E: To have hope we must encourage one another in truth.

We all may dream and hope for more comfortable homes, education for our children and even more meaningful desires, such as brotherhood of mankind and liberty and justice for all. If we hope for these things, we must faithfully work to make them become a reality. Anything we hope for, we must be willing to work for.

Elections are important to help make Firestone the place to raise your family, start your own business, but only if you vote to help with the critical issues facing our elected leaders.

You have a choice: lead, follow or get out of the way. Firestone is moving forward.

I hope you choose to wake up and spring ahead. Lead the way and cast your vote on April 2.