HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-12-22, Page 4Page 4 -Citizens News, December 22, 1976
"I'd like to get my wife something she needs so she can exchange it
for something she wants."
Everyone always seems to believe the
worst will only happen to -everyone else,
not to them.
Ontario hydro has been asking people
for months now to conserve hydro and at
this time of the year they ask people to
especially cut down on their consumption
between the hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.ni. Is it
too much to ask that you wait until after
seven o'clock to turn on your Christmas
lights? We don't think so but apparently
many of you do.
We've heard a number of people saying
there's no shortage of hydro here. Let
them cut down in the cities because that is
where hydro is being wasted. Well, this
could very well be true, but we think people
who think in this direction are missing
the point.
It's not so much the fact there may be
a hydro shortage which seems important to
us, it is the fact there isnot on this earth the
possibility of unlimited hydro forever. So,
why waste it or anything else for that
matter. Surely it is possible to get into the
Christmas spirit and remember the reason
for Christmas without putting up a lot of
lights both inside and outside the house. A
few, sure, they look very nice and may make
us feel good, but there is no need to have
them on early or to leave them on all night.
Your neighbors are not about to judge
your Christmas spirit by the number of
floodlights or strings of lights you have
up or how long you leave them on.
Why not be logical about the whole
affair, and use our electricity wisely. Wast-
ing anything is a crime, and wasting electri-
city is no exception.
Lisien
Jet plane engine noises are pitched so
high that they cannot be heard by the human
ear. Of course, there is the familiar jet roar
that does get through, but most of the sound
is beyound our range.
The community is filled with the sound of
Christmas carols. Radios, T.V.'s street -
corner speakers, churches, school rooms
and a thousand common dwellings all vi-
brate with the sound of familiar Christmas
songs. Part of the carol gets through but
part of it is beyond our range.
The happy melody gets through. The
power to awaken memory of bygone days
gets through. The plain homely images of
the manger, the star, the shepherds, the
wisemen, the mother and the lovely sleeping
child are reinforced by our singing of the
carols. Almost any ear can catch these
sounds. But there is more. At a higher
frequency that only the heart can hear' there
is born in upon us the assurance that our
world is wrapped in love. But this word is
high-pitched and is entirely lost on those
who hear only the obvious.
Dear Madam Editor:
Just a short reply to Mr.
McKinnon's lengthy explana-
tion on the financial segment of
the Zurich Arena, specifically
the Benefit Dance held recently.
I'm very much concerned about
the dollar signs the arena board
puts in front of this issue.
I approached Mr. McKinnon
Mr. Laporte and Mr. Gelinas
individually before th.e Benefit
"No ear may hear His coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him, still
The dear Christ enters in."
Perhaps this is why at the first Christmas
it is said that the carols were sung by a
chorus of angels. The Christian message is
more than a group of people chattering
theology or school children singing carols.
It is the subtle sound of God's compassion.
It is assurance at depth that human life has
immortal meaning and joy is rooted not in
coloured tissue paper and escapist cele-
brations but in the presence of a hardy, holy
love to which we can commit ourselves.
"Joy to the World! the Lord is come."
In the occasional moments when any man
has the confidence that this is really so, it is
as if an angel bending o'er the earth had
touched a harp of gold. The higher fre-
quency becomes audible. Confidence in God
and his yearning over man is the high-
pitched word that sounds in every simple,
pleasant carol we sing. Listen for it now.
InYou,Vksv
Dance was held in the arena. I
had suggested free rental of the
arena, providing the setting up
and cleaning up would be done
voluntarily by the Dance Com-
mittee, but their immediate
reply was "No", without hold-
ing a recreational meeting.
I am fully aware of the finan-
cial aspect of managing an
arena, but it is difficult to
comprehend that the committee
would take such a negative
approach to this situation.
In closing, I might add, the
Zurich and area had been can-
vassed for donations towards
the arena prior to the Benefit
Dance, what a pity, because I'm
sure the donations would have
been much less if this situation
would have come before the
public sooner.
Yes Santa, there still are
scrooges.
1 respectively remain,
John Paul Rau
by Cathy McKinley
There has been a good deal of snow around this year so
far and there will likely be a lot more. I have been stopped on
the street several times in the past couple of weeks and heard
the same complaint rep eated. As a result I have some infor-
mation I would like to pass on to the business men and
residents in town. Please shovel your sidewalks!
It is very difficult for pedestrians to use the sidewalks
and get into stores where there is such a large drift of snow
covering them. I do not believe this should be totally left to
the village to contend with, there are enough streets to clear
and maintain to keep the village employees busy, they do
not likely have the time to shovel off the sidewalks as well.
If every business and residence in the village would take a
few minutes to clear off the sidewalk in front of their living or
working place, then everyone would benefit and it would not
be too much burden on anyone.
If we as a village wish to have people shopping here, and
visiting here, it is to our benefit to make it as easy as possible
for them to do so. Let's at least give it a thought.
LA0:.
Christmas is a time for remembering.
Remembering the days when you were small and Christ-
mas seeped to be the most important time of the year.
It was so full of mysteries and good smells and secrets.
Children waiting impatiently for snow to fall because it
wasn't Christmas unless the ground was white and you could
try out your new sleds immediately.
Children going into small village stores with their money
clutched tightly in one hand as they decided very carefully
just what it was that mother wanted, and then buying her
some silly ornament that, bless her, she exclaimed over
happily as if it really were just what she always wanted,
and no matter how funny Iooking she would proudly display
it for all to see.
Children helping to put up Christmas trees with tiny fin-
gers fumbling with strings of lights until larger ones
came to the rescue and untangled the mess. Feet running
excitedly between the large hands and the boxes of new
bulbs as old ones failed and had to be replaced.
Tiny eyes standing in doorways looking with longing at
large boxes at the foot of parents' beds. Eyes that knew there
were treasures inside just especially for them, because
mother had told them so. But eyes that dared do no more
than look because they also knew mothers had magic powers
of knowing all things and those who peeked received little
on Christmas morning.
Christmas Eve's when the snow came down softly in big
fluffy flakes and children sucked happily on the first candy
canes allowed off the tree and listened in wonder to a tale of
a long -ago family in a far -away place.
Ears that awoke during a long, long night, sure they bad
heard some mysterious rustling, or the clink of a glass down-
stairs. Memories of those Christmas eve's when tiny hearts
thumped as they creeped downstairs, just to have apeek and
saw so many presents under the tree; even of those moments
in the wee morning hours when fingers became so excited
they tore open 'a gift to discover Santa really does listen to
letters, then realizing what they'd one, those same fingers
carefully rewrapping the gift and retiring to bed once more to
clutch tightly at soft white sheets feeling oh so good, and oh
so happy.
They seem so long ago, those days, those memories, but
we know . they'll be here again, as long as there 'are
tiny fingers and big hearts.
Merry Christmas..
MQA eazoi4_ PlIGawo
Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd.
Member:
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Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association
*CNA
Manager - Betty O'Brien
News Editor - Cathy McKinley
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