“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson reminds me of one of the many values that my grandmother had always stressed to me growing up in the Ozarks. Be kind, be helpful, always be honest and true, and help your neighbor as you may never know when you may need help. In fact, those virtues are so woven into the very fabric and the spine that holds our unique culture together. When a disaster hits, the neighbors are the first ones to step up to the plate to help rebuild. So, when I look at Missouri’s politics and just how bad of shape the state is in– The whole “how can I help my neighbor” instinct kicks. It’s the same instinct that caused me to hold a very small pro-choice rally at the county courthouse in an extremely ultra-conservative area that could have led to being ostracized and some backlash. But in hindsight, it was probably one of the best things I ever could have done, and have zero regrets about it. As I connected to some amazing people and really made my world that much bigger. But the reward was learning that sometimes all it takes is for one person to just say “enough is enough” especially in an area like mine. Where politics are so divisive that folks honestly believe that their neighbor is the proverbial enemy if they have a different viewpoint. So, it was a risky move, and in the adrenaline rush of it– I learned I had a voice and needed to use it. And I haven’t really slowed down much when it comes to Missouri politics and our issues in our beautiful Congressional District 8.
Speaking of the district I live in, we have so many issues….We have the highest poverty levels in the entire state, 1 in 5 kids go to bed hungry due to food insecurity despite being the second largest agricultural region in the state. Lack of a functioning economy other than low-paying jobs or nursing. We are at the very bottom of the scale for education. Low life expectancy rates and limited health care. And the list just keeps going on. But it’s reflective of how state politics. I mean we have an Attorney General that’s refusing to close down “Boarding Schools” that are notorious for child abuse. Mo Leg refuses to actually legislate anything unless it involves laws that benefit their wealthy donors, damages our environments, or restrict residents' rights including constitutional ones. So, in short, our state is a hot, chaotic mess, and not the fun type of chaos either. It’s a dystopian society’s “wet dream” if we’re going to be blunt about it. And this is what needs to change for a legacy that our children and grandchildren can be proud of.
And it’s for that reason, I took that leap of faith and stepped up to follow Emerson’s words of wisdom and really live life. Would I call myself an “activist”? No, not really. Activism requires a certain amount of etiquette that I do not possess. Rather I see myself as just a rebel that needs to be in the trenches and help out when I can and wherever I can. Being that good neighbor.
Now, that you got a little insight into my reasoning behind the blog and why I got so involved with politics, I want to also make you aware that I’ll be sharing different fun facts about the Ozarks history, folklore, and occasional photos from my very talented friend Kayla Cawvey. Especially now since it’s the “spookiest time of the year”.
Anyways, that’s all for now. Feel free to reach out to me on twitter https://twitter.com/Jojobeansrock or send a message on the website itself.
May you have fair winds and safe travels.
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