A year like no other

This has been a year like no other, and I am more than ready to bid 2016 a not-so-fond farewell. In retrospect, we have endured and survived — “the good, the bad and the ugly!”

The first 10 months have squeezed in the Summer Olympics in Brazil (a 16-day extravaganza), another seesaw baseball season for the Cardinals, a rash of disheartening news of worldwide terrorist attacks, serious ongoing struggles for law and order issues in our nation, and a merry-go-round of political hullabaloo leading up to tomorrow’s presidential election.

Toss in the hectic weather shenanigans (earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes) and it adds up to an unpredictable, unsteady experience. Weathering the storms has been an on-site experience for thousands of suffering people around the world.

Being the optimist I try to be, it’s time to focus on the good we see around us. I already covered the concerts in the park in my last column; now I’ll add a positive pitch for the televised Olympics. Like many of you, I spent many hours watching the opening and closing ceremonies in Rio. They offered truly spectacular entertainment!

My favorites of the 31 major competitive events were track and field, men’s and women’s gymnastics, volleyball and swimming. Pride and respect for my country’s achievements run high. Gaining a grand total of 121 medals (46 gold, 37 silver and 38 bronze) is no small venture!

As usual, our community offered numerous special programs, seminars and fundraising events for deserving charities. Every week brought something new for youths and adults. A standout day was The Best Years Active Living Expo staged at the Isle Casino in September. Stressing the importance of health and active living, senior citizens, caregivers and families benefited from the full day’s multimedia displays and varied activities offered.

The food, tai chi and exercise demonstrations were well received, and Jerry Ford’s Combo playing the old songs brought some seniors onto the dance floor. My expo tote bag was filled with freebies and good health tips, as well as the nature greeting cards I made with volunteers from the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center.

Having explored some of the good and the bad aspects of this year, I am down to the “ugly” part. And there is plenty of that, to be sure! It has been a year of monstrous attacks on innocent people throughout the world. And right here in our own nation, we are seeing the sickening results of vicious accusations by contenders for the highest office in the land.

Writing this three weeks before Election Day, I am wondering who will be our new president after tomorrow.

Special memo to history buffs: Ken Steinhoff’s photography is a current attraction at the Cape County History Center in Jackson. Artistically displayed are multiple pictures from Ken’s impressive career that began as a teenager at Central High School some 50 years ago. This early courtship with photography has blossomed into a lifetime romance. Steinhoff’s expertise with a camera is captured in these extraordinary pictures of historical events, places and people (some famous, but most of them plain and ordinary). Since Ken’s display of photos and descriptive story captions will be on exhibit the rest of the year, more area residents have a chance to enjoy this close-up review of local history.