Grasp the opportunity to engage

You missed a good day.
Chances are, based upon an estimated crowd of about 150 to 200, you weren’t there on Saturday when the Jayland Trotting Association presented a card of about 20 races at Jay County Fairgrounds.
And it was free.
Chances are you also missed a concert by the Jay County Community Band on Sunday in the little park across the street from Arts Place. The band is a delightful community success story, bringing musicians from their 70s together with fellow musicians in their teens.
And it was free.
Two problems seem to afflict us simultaneously in the 21st century.
The first is that we’re incredibly busy.
Jobs are more demanding. Home life is more demanding. The kids are involved in more things than we can begin to imagine. And distractions swirl about us like a biblical whirlwind.
The second problem: Inertia.
And when coupled with problem one, it makes it incredibly hard to get up, get off the couch, get out and engage with one another.
Human inertia is completely understandable. Folks are tired when they get home; the couch looks comfortable; and there is always the Internet to provide the illusion of human connection.
Trouble is, it is an illusion.
Clicking on a mouse is not the same as talking to your neighbor. Visiting a website is not the same as attending an event with other living, breathing human beings.
A confession: We missed the community band concert on Sunday.
But we did check out the harness racing on Saturday and found it fun and exciting and a good chance to re-connect with friends.
Keep your eye on the community calendar, watch for opportunities to become engaged and get off the couch.
You will not regret it. — J.R.