Over

Over has been one of my “go to” words through the decades.

The only real loan I took out with my home as collateral, when the last payment was made and I burned the papers, that over was sweet.

Driving home down the long dirt road with my signed divorce papers after an eleven-year long marriage, wrong from the start, gave me a great feeling of over. So much so, I began to laugh.

Over was more than a word, it became a feeling. The word could explain feelings that ranged from celebration, relief and often took me to my other “go to” word which is DONE.

Both over and done are final. The cat is buried before the children wake up. The dishes are washed and put away done. 

Miami and many of the plaintiffs have found an end to a long struggle. In the length of time a baby born would come to graduate high school, we can call a generation They have spent in this matter waiting for over to arrive, their “graduation day” didn’t feel celebratory, only done.

But after over and done dust settles in the puddles of the last rain that has fallen and neither of those words can be used to disparage the who you might have been longing to disparage out loud but now know you cannot. I would like to step in to say your over is not someone’s else’s over. Your signed agreement is not theirs. 

What they cannot say, you can. What you cannot say, they can. 

Just because my son is an attorney and my colleague at work is, don’t suppose I know anything about the law. But when a community, I would say the upper third of Ottawa County has sets of people who have been party to lawsuits that you might say they “won.” But with the winning settlement agreements, they learn that they will not be able to share. Their over and yours gave you consequences if you speak of it or disparage about it.

I was beginning to think we were going to have a very quiet life now with so many people gagged for life. But what you can’t talk about the folks across town can for you, and you can talk about their issues. To me this over might be the catalyst to a whole bunch of people saying they have lots of things to talk about now. 

That sound of throats clearing. Surely there is a name for that. That sound is happening and had started earlier this year when you and others you never thought you would see began popping into community rooms and filling them up with the concerns about NEW permits about NEW threats to you and your way of life. 

Some of you came and even sat on the front rows! Some of you were surprised at seeing others you never dreamed would rally to protest or complain, as they lined up to speak and get on the record in an effort to protect us all.

Over is not over. It is a rallying cry for justice. 

LEAD Agency has a button maker. My head can think in a button-size manner. What do you want on yours?

Our 27^th National Environmental Conference at Tar Creek will be October 7-8-9 held at NEO College in the Calcagno Ballroom. Mark your calendar and circle the 7^th. That is our Activist Day. Come meet people from around the state who were done with sitting quietly and have stood up to deal with the environmental issues in their communities. Come for the training, the fellowship and the strength in numbers you will find as you look around the room and see your neighbor.

Respectfully Submitted ~ Rebecca Jim