Letter to the editor: Community spirit lives

Talk about it

I have had the privilege of reading some of the Two Harbors journals my grandmother and great aunts wrote from 1890 to 1926. My aunts had very different writing styles. Aunt Mary and Aunt Annie were very precise, “just the facts” types. Annie’s journal from August of 1893 states: “Very hot & muggy today. We were in the kitchen all day. We had a good garden this year. We put up over 150 jars of fruits and vegetables today. … There has been sickness at the Beltzers and Forstads so Mother is frying up eight chickens right now. We’ll have chicken for supper and take the rest to them tomorrow.”

I use this journal entry to try to show the giving and sharing mentality of our community 100 years ago. My great grandmother was a midwife and natural healer using plants. My great grandfather sailed the seven seas and then was a captain on the Great Lakes. Reading all of their journals I learned that friends, family and land give you a sense of belonging, a sense of community.

I have only been in the community about four years but I feel as if I belong here.

In the News-Chronicle last week there was a commentary about tourism and our downtown area. I think we have a strong, caring community. I challenge all of our local businesses to plant plants to spruce up the fronts of their businesses. Maybe we can get the owners to cover the windows of the empty buildings and spruce them up a bit.

I noticed sidewalk snow going unshoveled last winter and uncut grass (especially at the empty houses for sale). How much energy and expense does it take when you are mowing to also do the empty front yard a couple doors down? It helps keep your property value up as well.

Or maybe you have noticed a neighbor having a tough time. The next time you make a casserole, double the recipe and take some to your neighbor who appears to be struggling. Don’t wait to be asked for help. Jump out there and put out a little kindness.

We may not be our brothers’ keeper but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to help our brothers and sisters.

From Isabella Spencer, Two Harbors

Tags: two harbors, opinion, letters to the editor, downtown