Clyde Compton: Behind the fence next door

On one side of my property stands a structure not only tall but very foreboding -- 8-feet-tall and made of wood.

I have lived here for over 30 years and many families have come and gone but the fence has kept all its secrets from prying eyes to see.

While sitting outdoors, I suddenly heard a loud scream. I wondered if it was from pure joy or anguish and realized I may never know. I’ve heard it said that curiosity killed the cat but left out of control it can cause the thoughts of  anyone to spiral out of reason. I think when people can’t see what is transpiring, their first thoughts go to the negative side and they tend to get defensive and sometimes make a wrong judgement.

Years ago in my neighborhood, the doors were left unlocked and people mingled from yard to yard, celebrated  in friendship on many occasions and watched out for each other. Sadly all that came to a sudden stop. At this time, I only know the name of only one of my neighbors. What happened?

"Times change," they say but is that always the right reason to give up on what has worked in the past? Yesterday is the past, today is the present, tomorrow is the future, so why not utilize the strengths in all of these. Living only in the present and not remembering the past or looking to the future is quite defeating. Saying "Tomorrow will be a better day" is not always true.

Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance taken out of schools are two huge mistakes made in the past that deeply affected not only us in the present but those in the future, making it so much harder. After all these years, not only in the past but now in the present,  I thought that we would learn that war has never been the answer. Nuclear warheads with the ability to destroy most of the people on earth are so much a part of our national budget that hungry, homeless, and people needing medication or insurance take the back seat. Are you crazy?

Future generations of our children and grandchildren will have to bear the brunt of past and present accomplishments and mistakes so now is the time to deal with them.

Back to the fence, I know that my dog Christie May will run for hours at a time up and down that fence, trying to get a look at the dogs next door thru a small crack --- just wondering what is going on over there. So if you are reading this and you are not sure you understand any of what I’ve written, it is all her fault. If you are among the few that understands this, please let me know.

Finally, that wooden fence next door is not the only barrier in life. Even though you can not see them, there are to many fences left to be taken down.

God Bless all children, animals and the elderly people who took care of you from birth. Now is the time to pay them back.