OK. Where were we? During this period to Restore Illinois, now in Phase 4, we’ve missed visits with family, babysitting our granddaughter, lunch with friends, and face-to-face meetings to help plan special events.
Zoom fatigue has been added to my list of technological things that bug me.
Our city lost about six months of local traditions to preview, events that bring this community together to raise funds for many charitable causes. One after the other, benefits were canceled, held virtually or postponed. What’s a nonprofit to do?
On the bright side, powerful sunshine is sure to create hot and sultry dog days until August. We’re happy to report our garden plots are growing gangbuster tomatoes and our daylilies are bursting beautifully like sparklers on the 4th of July. On a slow news day, our zucchinis seem to widen and lengthen right before my eyes.
Good news is folks are providing creative ideas for staycations since vacations might be best planned for home this year, even though a getaway is just what most of us need.
More than ever, we’re enjoying local parks.
Above / Cross over the Webster Street Covered Bridge and plan to spend the day in downtown Naperville. Make a day of enjoying sights, sounds and natural beauty of the Riverwalk as well as choosing from more than 300 shopping and dining experiences.
And my thoughts race back to a year ago when my 96-year-old dad was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—and his choice was to welcome hospice care.
Instead of attending the last Ribfest in Knoch Park, we headed south to spend Dad’s last Independence Day in Muncie, Ind. Always witty and wise, Dad played bridge with us while we encouraged him to reminisce about his growing up in Akron, Ohio, serving as a Navy Seabee during World War II, studying on the G.I. Bill at Purdue where he met my mother and many other things that reminded me how blessed I’ve been to be his daughter.
As I sit writing here at my desk top, I also can see a red-topped battery-operated recorder that plays five memorable words spoken by my father just before he died Aug. 6, 2019.
Dad didn’t like leaving voicemail messages. But one day while trying to reach my brother with important business, Dad asked, “What the hell’s going on?” And his query has been saved for perpetuity.
What the hell’s going on?
Above / Back in 2019, Dad and I were cheering on Purdue during March Madness. This year the NCAA Tournament was canceled. I know he’s up there among plenty of college basketball fans wondering, “What the hell’s going on?”
Dad wouldn’t have tolerated this pandemic. And I’m forever grateful to my brother who saved the seemingly clairvoyant phone message that adds humor and comfort to every day. “What the hell’s going on?
Dad’s work ethic, empathy, faith, love for liberty and country, voracious reading and devoted concern for humankind are core values I try to follow.
Consider Independence Day every day
When you a have a moment, take time to reflect about the sacrifices and what it took to become a free and united nation, imperfect as it may be. Consider a decade of issues that had been on the minds of our Founders on July 4, 1776, “When in the course of human events…” they aimed to declare independence with 1,458 historic words, including names of 56 signers.
And note that the word “independence” is not found within the text of what’s known as the Declaration of Independence.
We appreciate your trust as we aim to help keep the community safe and healthy with information about coronavirus from the City of Naperville, schools and health departments, etc.
More than ever, we appreciate everyone with an opinion, not necessarily ours, who contributes to our monthly publication, following our focus to bring our community together while we’re 6 feet apart.
We’re highly sensitive to the state of our community and the world; and without question the combined impact of coronavirus, local economic slowdown and racial injustice has created an uncharted time.
Perhaps we all can be better listeners, giving others time, respect and our attention to tell their stories. Let’s reflect on reforms that take the rule of law, public safety “and justice for all” to heart.
Thanks for reading. Discover your local parks and the great outdoors.
Above / May Watts Park attracts a variety of waterfowl. The somewhat prehistoric-looking double-crested cormorant returns for the spring and summer, while great blue herons, egrets, Mallard ducks and Canada geese can be found year round.
