Central West Virginia's Guide To Life

TWO-LANE FOR LIFE
By Lisa Hayes-Minney

11/07 - Different or Same

At some point in life, you make a choice; the glass is half full, or it’s half empty. People keep searching for the meaning of life, and the secret is simply this: the glass IS half full, if you want it to be.

Last month, I noted that perfect moments are possible, even in our imperfect world. Since then, I’ve had a few experiences to further prove the point.

I was a visiting speaker for a business class offered by Glenville State College, invited to speak about my recent experiences creating a business plan to launch the magazine. I know you are picturing a campus classroom, filled with young co-eds in bright colors of today’s fashion. But the class I visited wasn’t on college campus, it was in a federal prison. (You have a whole new picture in mind now, don’t you?)

If you’ve ever spent time teaching, you know the best classroom moments come when the students are interested and engaged. There’s nothing worse than a roomful of students who aren’t interested. But when the students are involved, the class rises above a lecture and becomes a conversation. When that happens, teaching is actually fun.

I had a blast teaching that class. They were of course, a captive audience, but these medium-security prisoners did not have any limits on their minds. These men knew well the harsh realities of the world, but still were dreaming of the future and had hope. There, behind walls and fence, wires and gates, there was still faith in the future. They had faith in themselves.

No one in that room was perfect, but incarcerated or not, we’re all looking to find purpose in our lives.

Another group of people who are passing time taught me that uniqueness is more important than perfection.

Our first edition of Two-Lane Livin’ was delivered to long-term care and assisted living facilities, with copies for each resident. Delivery this second month was as hot and muggy as the first, and I was at one of these locations when I hit my head on the corner of the hatch back door. Hot, sticky, covered in newsprint ink, and now with a headache, I entered the building.

But when I delivered copies of the second edition inside, I encountered great enthusiasm, learning that issues are being read aloud to residents who have trouble reading or seeing. Staff members told me, “the residents loved it -- it’s different.”

I once hated being called ‘different’, because I often find similarities. You see, in prison, in long-term care, in life -- we are all looking for those moments of comfort and purpose, when life reaches its upmost quality. But, as Forrest Gump’s mamma used to say, “We’re all different,” and it seems, being different has served Two-Lane Livin’ well. If we were all perfect, we would all be the same.

For so long, we are pressured to conform. Being “different” is difficult. But, when that difference makes and impact? Well, the thought of Two-Lane Livin’ being read aloud to grandmas and grandpas revived me for the rest of the day.

Please, thank our columnists for their efforts, and our advertisers for making all this possible. Two-Lane Livin’ would not be able to reach so many people if not for our sponsors and advertisers. We love to get mail and phone calls from readers who tell us how much they like our magazine, but your compliments would serve us just as well if you were to offer them to businesses and organizations in our community who have shown faith in us.

Please, remember to support those who support Two-Lane Livin’ as we approach deer season and the holiday shopping season.

We’re happy to see those event announcements come in for the free listings in our calendar. Keep those find-the-graphic entries coming too; you have a new chance to win every month.

We are also thrilled to get letters for Dear Ronda Sue. She’s tackling two letters every month, so it may be time before she gets to yours. Some of the issues that have come in are rather difficult to answer as well! Those letters take some extra thought. You can submit letters to Dear Ronda Sue by mail or e-mail at the addresses listed at the end of her column.

We also have two new columnists starting this month. Lisa Laughlin of Wirt County will now be offering recipes every month, “Recipes From Mom.” Lisa is owner of Mom’s Place, a restaurant in Elizabeth, where she learned to cook from her mom, Helen Burns.

Roger White will be offering safety and maintenance tips for RV owners in our region. Roger has spent 30 years servicing, repairing and performing maintenance on RVs, and owns Roger’s Mobile RV Repair in Gassaway. Camping season might be ending, but readers will learn over winter how to make sure their RV is ready to go come spring.

I would like to note we are expanding our crossword page. We have downsized the crossword puzzle so we could add soduku puzzles for all those left-brained folks out there. I can offer help on the crossword, but for Soduku? You’re on your own.

I’m one of those people who addresses Christmas cards and sets up the tree during Thanksgiving break. So, we’ve already started preparing for our December/Christmas issue. We’re offering special pricing on Christmas issue ads, and have Christmas features for our reader’s holiday season enjoyment.

If you have Christmas season photos for our cover, send them. Christmas stories? Essays? Poems? Send them. We even have Christmas themes at www.twolaneshoppin.com. 

Also, due to overwhelming requests, we are now offering subscriptions to out-of-state addresses only. Because of postal regulations and tax laws, that’s the best we can do right now. We’ve tried to price these subscriptions at cost -- covering shipping and handling only.

Of course, we think a subscription to Two-Lane Livin’ would be a great Christmas gift for family and friends who live in places not so wild and wonderful. But don’t forget, all columns are available online, at no charge, at www.twolanelivin.com.

Sure, it’s the beginning of November, but we’re already into the holidays here. I know at least one columnist already has her Christmas shopping done. It’s the time of year to be thankful, and we are very thankful for our columnists, sponsors and readers. Enjoy your Thanksgiving -- eat well and hunt safe.

~ Lisa