"THEY ALL LAUGHED WHEN I SAID I WOULD MOVE TO SAINT LOUIS"

I moved to St. Louise in 2007 to be near my son and grandchildren. At the time, friends and family questioned my decision. There was a sense the Midwest would hold little interest for me. Since I came, I have been impressed by the revitalization of this City and its many advantages,some of them reported in the news recently.

Empty nesters, young energetic people, businesses, national corporations along with high-tech firms are resettling the once forgotten and abandoned downtown areas. Gardens are sprouting in neighborhoods and parks between office buildings. The St. Louis Orchestra is among the nation's finest and one of a few operating in the black. Jazz still reigns supreme in small bars and in larger venues. The St. Louis Art Museum has an impressive collection and is building a new addition. It and the St. Louis Zoo and Science Museum still do not charge an admission fee. The City's large German, Italian, and Bosnian populations are found in ethnic neighborhoods where new and old restaurants are having a colorful resurgence.

Least I sound like a Commercial for the Chamber of Commerce, our community issues are no less nor more than communities elsewhere. We have less than worthy laws being supported by State and County elected officials. We still support candidates who advocate carrying concealed weapons in public places. We carry guns proudly, defiantly, openly even after the most heinous of crimes. Environmentally, existing standards and regulations for water, air pollution and land use are less than well enforced. Lead Poisoning is still a problem as is educational opportunity for all ages. We share budgetary issues with the rest of the country and are as illogical and emotional about our sports, politics, and health care as are others.

Saint Louis is home to national and international celebrities who are loved and loathed. We get our news through technology, gossip and one of the country's oldest newspapers. Our scandals and corruption give evidence to our similarity with other cities. Yet, we are blessed with institutions of higher learning and men and women working to improve and renew our future.

The history of this City, once larger than Chicago, Illinois, reminds me that people once stopped here on their way to seeking fortunes in the West. Others came and stayed to develop this place on the Mississippi. Now, many are coming once again for new opportunity and for the promise of this City's reawakening.

Like the song says, "Who is laughing now?"

VALET PARKING NO MATTER WHAT!

This morning our temperature reached a warm 31 degrees. The snow came off and on, the streets were filled with ankle deep slush and the sun was trying desperately to come out. On my way to my favorite coffee shop, I noticed a tall, slender young man wearing a red parka standing in front of an up scale restaurant in the area. He was standing by a "Valet Parking" sign, sunk in a river of slush.

There was something incongruous about the picture, so I stopped to talk to him. He was indeed waiting to park cars for patrons of the restaurant who might be arriving for brunch.

He was still there when I returned. As I tried to find a passable path back to my car and finally climbed into it, I wondered does he earn enough in tips and gratitude to make up for his lonely, wet vigil?

WEATHER PREDICTOR FOR FAITHFUL?

In the middle of one of the largest winter storms to hit this country, a fat, fuzzy brown creature burrows out of his hole, pops his head out of the ground and predicts, "an early Spring." His name is Punxsutawney Phil so named after the Pennsylvania town in which he lives. He has been "predicting" the weather for about 125 years and has gained quite a following of "true" believers.

No matter what may be happening in his state, the country or the world people come from all over to witness the ritual conducted every February 2. Officiating are officials, elected and otherwise, dressed in top hats and ready to record his "prediction."

There are other ground hogs that have tried to match Phil's ability, there may even be one here in Missouri. I remain loyal to Phil's prediction and feel sure Spring will soon be here. But please, no phone calls when Mother Nature provides us with one last blast of winter in April.

MY TRIP TO EGYPT THROUGH CAIRO

As events unfold in Egypt, I am reminded of a trip I took to Cairo en route to Israel in the 90s. I was met at the airport outside of Cairo by a family friend who greeted me with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. On the way to his car, I was startled by the press of people begging and calling out to us. My escort shouted at them, took my arm firmly and quickened our pace to his car, a Mercedes Benz Limousine.

On the way to my hotel, on a small island in the Nile River across from Cairo's downtown section, I was struck by the contrast between us and other traffic. Sharing the street with us were camels, donkeys, pushcarts, and scooters along with vendors carrying their wares. Neither pedestrians nor traffic stopped for each other. The shops we passed were bustling with activity. Merchandise included animals, dead and alive. Even the exhaust fumes could not hide the smells, and among all the noises was an occasional sound of music.

In addition to the spectacular and ancient sites I would later visit in Egypt, it was the memory of my entrance into Cairo that remains with me still. Even then, I wondered how long could the disparity between wealth and poverty be sustained?

WHAT IS A POLAR BEAR WORTH?

Recently, NPR reported that we are changing the formula for making environmental policy. In the past, we asked, what is the cost of what we want to do and what are, or are not the benefits? Through scientific study we determined when a species was about to become extinct and why. Now we ask, what is the "total economic value" of other species and their environment?

Used as an example was the "total economic value" of the polar bear. I am intrigued that as we prepare to experiment with the natural and fragile tundra of Alaska, we develop a new formula to help us accept yet another questionable environmental intrusion and perhaps the loss of magnificent animals.

Will a formula of "total economic value" give us yet another way to justify our disregard for our role in the extinction of other living things.?

JANUARY: WHAT A MONTH!

In January, clergy from all faiths, elected officials and representatives from different community organizations celebrated Martin Luther King Day with prayerful observance. I attended the event sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council where choirs of school children from interdenominational schools sang. I was touched not only by the program but by drawings which surrounded us in the auditorium. Created by 4Th and 5Th grade students, each artist depicted the meaning of Dr. King's "I have a Dream" speech.

We remembered the 50Th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Speech and his inspirational words to his fellow citizens. "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

In between reflecting on these speeches, came another. President Obama reminded us of the preciousness of all life when he told us, "Gabby opened her eyes!"

And finally, Mother Nature informed the world she was still in charge as we dealt with tornadoes, earth quakes, floods, draught, rain and blizzards. Even so, she delighted us with a gorgeous, full moon not often seen in January.

And we still have almost two weeks to go before February arrives.

ARIZONA: ARE WE ENABLERS?

Yes, public civil and political discourse has become a thing of the past. But before we point fingers, did we as individuals have any role in the unspeakable tragedy in Arizona? I believe we did when we accepted half-truths, simple answers and sensationalism to solve complicated issues.

Do we solve the problems of mentally ill people by accepting less funding for programs? Do we accept legislation that allows concealed weapons to enter public spaces? Do we urge students and teachers to carry their own weapons to ward off acts of violence? Do we provide decent wages and training to the police, other civil servants and workers? Do we accept the spoiling of our environment by powerful interests? And do we accept less than equitable solutions for issues in our educational, health and justice systems?

Until we as individuals, support representatives who advocate funding, legislation and regulation that speak to quality of life issues, we will enable the destruction of all we hold dear.