Reflecting on our spirit of community this Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the county, local residents were pausing to reflect on their bounty.
Okay, that might be the cheesiest lead to an editorial ever written and we apologize, but the sentiment is important. Living in Plumas County is a gift and one that we should appreciate year round, but particularly during the holiday season. We can all relate to leaving town for whatever reason, only to feel that sense of homecoming as we cross the county line. You can almost hear the strains of “I’ll be Home for Christmas” … Sorry, more cheesiness.
It’s a difficult world out there on so many levels and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But when an opinion piece crossed our desks earlier this month — written by Quint Studer and published on the facing page — we could instantly relate to his sentiment. He absolutely defined what makes Plumas County and each of our towns so important — community.
He writes: “Real life doesn’t happen nationally. It happens locally. And at the community level, I see people partnering with their neighbors to solve problems, working hard and playing hard, listening and compromising, and — quite often — making sacrifices for the good of others. Locally is where we’re at our very best. It’s where we can use our influence and our gifts to make our communities strong and to make life better for everyone.”
Some recent examples of this are the union of the Plumas and Indian Valley healthcare districts, and the newly forming partnership between the Central Plumas Recreation and Park District and Plumas Charter School. There are some details to be determined for the latter, but it appears to offer many benefits for both entities.
Studer also discusses the importance of connecting with friends and family and of making our towns the sort of places where people want to live and thrive. Working here at the newspaper, we have a unique vantage point of viewing those efforts from the Almanor Basin to the Sierra Valley. Sometimes the news is shared for all of our readers, but often the reporting is limited to a particular area because of its very local content.
Christmas is a great example. Each area has tree lightings, appearances by Santa, chamber gatherings and more. These gatherings contribute to what makes a community — the sense of belonging and the being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
Looking ahead, 2020 is going to be a turbulent year on the national and international stages. We have a presidential election that will most certainly fray already raw emotions and we will continue to deal with the ramifications of a changing climate.
Let’s be aware of what happens beyond our county borders and impact change when we can, but let’s be focused on what will make Plumas County the very best place it can be to live. We are all in this together and this holiday season let’s take a moment to appreciate how lucky we are to live here and pledge to do what we can in 2020 to make it even better.
From our newspaper family to yours: Merry Christmas.