Opinion

Cassville has been in a difficult season. So many friends have suffered loss and trauma we feel a collective grief.

Very few people have the mental fortitude to handle the job Brian Martin has carried out since 2006. Retiring this spring after 39 total years on the job, Martin handles the kind of crime that typically does not pass the Cheerios test.

Spending countless hours over the years breaking down cardboard boxes has been both a tedious and rewarding experience for me. At first glance, it may seem like a mindless task, but it has become a therapeutic ritual that I’ve come to appreciate.

It’s June, and that means its vacation season. It’s the time of the year when families start loading up and heading somewhere to recharge from the daily hustle and bustle of our normal lives, or start planning for that blessed day.

The seasons of our lives are many. From Ecclesiastes 3, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven.”

The heart of Cassville has been exposed in the last two weeks, as we have faced tragedy after tragedy with little signs of slowing. The first break in the barrage came Sunday at the courthouse square, where more than 100 people gathered on just seven hours’ notice to grieve, love, support and uplift one another through whichever loss was affecting them most.

Our little community has been struck by an unimaginable amount of tragedy these past few weeks. Whether you knew none or all of the people or families involved, the weight on the community as a whole is tangible.

If you’re like me, then you know the confusion of being a young adult, and if you’re not at this age, I’m sure you remember. There’s this drive to experience life and the need to start planning your life all rolled into one.

Donned my cowboy hat again and went to Bill Hailey Arena on Saturday for one of my favorite events, Ridin’ With Mason Lowe. The competition is amazing and the stock is strong, judging by the number of buck-offs in the first section. That entertainment is fun, but even better entertainment for me is Pork Chop! The rodeo clown may have hips that connect to his ankles (his words, not mine) but what he lacks in shins he makes up for in jokes. It’s got me thinking about trying my hand at the rodeo entertainer game. If Pork Chop can elude bulls as easily as he does, why can’t I? I’ll be testing out my fins over the next year to see how quick I can be. I am a little anxious about using a barrel though. Isn’t there some saying about those and fish? More research needs to be done.

The Cassville community is growing, and in more ways than one. This week, we have a story on the Barry County Community Garden, a project pushed by Cassville business Harvick Farms and with the help of the MU Extension and a host of volunteers and donors.