Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Depression. A Sisters' man saved from attempted suicide (The Nugget, May 16, p. 1). What a sick (person). How could he do this to his family? Why can't he just grab hold of his boot straps and pull himself up and get on with life like everybody else?

These are all comments I have heard people express when talking about people who SUFFER from depression. I have probably even used them or thought them at some point in my life.

That would be before I was hit (and I do mean hit) with depression. It has been somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 years now. I don't know exactly when it started, but I do know it hasn't ended.

I too wrote a brief note to my wife (who wasn't home at the time) walked outside and put a loaded gun to my head. I didn't squeeze the trigger, I jerked it. I wasn't weeping or sobbing or trembling as TV depicts a suicide victim. I was calm. Calm for the first time in many years. I knew that I would not have to face another miserable day. I wouldn't have put my family through any more tortured times.

Sure, I knew that this would cause a great deal of sadness, but that would pass.

The gun misfired.

Some will say it was God's intervention. If it was, I guess he just figured I hadn't suffered long enough.

It's not my intent to try and explain what the Sisters man was going through, because everybody's depression is different. Highly educated P-docs can't tell you why or even tell you what will help.

Sure, there are hundreds of medications for depression; the trouble is, they don't work the same way on everybody. What may be a miracle cure for one won't do a thing for the next one.

I do know how the bulk of society looks at that Sisters man, because I know how they have looked at me.

Society has two meanings for the term "sick." One meaning relates to the body and one relates to the mind. One involves compassion and one does not. One involves understanding and one involves fear. One involves a willingness to help and one does not.

Friends and family members will pull away. There will be two worlds. The one you are in and the one everyone else is in. Nothing, absolutely nothing brings any joy to your life. The things that once brought joy now do not.

But it's okay for society to turn their back on those sick (people) because we will eventually go away ¤ one way or the other.

To the Sisters man I would say, you are not alone. There are thousands of us out there. Some who are fortunate (like me) to have a loving wife and children who will stick by their side and understand that it is not their fault and that it is not your fault.

Seek help. It may be a long journey but it is one worth traveling. All my prayers and thought will be with you.

And don't blame society; some would say that ignorance is also a sickness of the mind. One that is tougher to cure than depression.

Editor's note: The letter writer, who lives in Sisters, signed his letter but requested that his name not be used. The editors decided to depart from our policy of not printing anonymous letters in this case. As the writer notes, a stigma still attatches to any form of mental illness.

We consider his insights too valuable to be silenced by a policy designed only to require that people stand accountable for their opinions.

J.C.

* * *

To the Editor:

Comments on the Forest Service proposal to expand the Suttle Lake Resort must be turned in by June 1 to the Sisters Ranger District.

The Forest Service wants to provide more of our public land to a private resort to expand accommodations and provide greater profit to the owners.

This will attract more people to the area, including Cinder Beach, and there will be more boats on the lake.

I doubt that local people want to encourage greater density at the lake. It will happen soon enough, but should we stimulate it and subsidize it?

And if the proposed septic system will be no better than Eagle Crest's, there could be serious contamination of the Metolius River.

The Forest Service has tied a new bridge to their "preferred" alternative, but a bridge to increase safety can be built without expanding the resort.

For me, the current resort has a pleasant, old-time, funky quality and I don't like to see public Forest Service land converted into commercial resorts. It is now possible to go to Cinder Beach without it being overcrowded.

So, of the various alternatives, I am supporting the "no action" Alternative A.

William Boyer

* * *

To the Editor:

Each year at the Sisters Rodeo we stand to salute the American flag. If I'm lucky I will stand next to my friend Russ Curtis and watch him slowly remove his battered straw hat which protects his aging face from the afternoon sun.

His sun darkened hands, his weathered arms are showing their age from a career of government survey work...they are moving his old hat deliberately to his heart and there it will rest.

The horses parade the arena with their beautiful queens in saddle as the American flag prominently waves. The crowd joins in song that interrupts the silence. I know now as before that tears will begin to stream from Russ' eyes, no singing or words from him just the stream, the stream of tears that move deliberately down his weathered face to fall silently wherever they splash.

My thoughts are inquisitive as I think silently about his reverence. What is his America? What is it that moves this handsome old man to tears? How generous is he to allow others to see his respect, the loyalty to his America... to the flag of his country. I wonder to myself if, in the heavens above, fallen soldiers from wars past might see... do they see this man and his allegiance to know that their battles, that their blood shed for our freedom is suitably honored by the likes of this man... a real American man... "his country tis of thee."

Take heed all you who are free. This is America, "where freedom rings."

"Oh sweet land of liberty."

Young people stop and salute, give homage to your flag... "one nation under God." Look closely in the crowd... search for the men and women that sing the loudest, hold their heart the tightest, stand the tallest and those that might openly weep.

These are the real Americans in "the land of our Pilgrims' pride." They are my America...

Happy Birthday, Russ.

Peter Storton

* * *

To the Editor:

On behalf of Black Butte School, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who made our Annual Spaghetti Feed & Bingo night a huge success.

Thanks to the generous merchants who donated wonderful gifts for bingo prizes. Thanks to the people and businesses who supplied us with food and goodies. Thanks to the parents who donated delicious desserts for the auction.

Most of all, thank you to the communities of Camp Sherman, Black Butte Ranch and Sisters for continuously supporting our most valuable asset ¤ our children.

More fun events will be happening all Memorial Day weekend in Camp Sherman as 13 of our students prepare to attend National History Day competition in Baltimore, Maryland in June.

Sincerely,

Rochelle Curtis, for the parents and students of Black Butte School

* * *

To the Editor:

Congratulations to the Sisters High School boys varsity golf team.

The local golf courses all deserve a big thank you for making their facilities available for all the practice sessions which helped this team to play so well.

This team played all year with eight players competing most every week to play in the five man tournaments, with an average of only a few strokes separating their scores. Seven of these players lettered.

At their district finals, Justin Little played as the sixth man shooting a lower score than two of the other players, which qualified him to play in the next day match. However in an extreme act of unselfishness he gave up his spot to a senior so that the senior could finish his year on a positive note.

Keegan Mason also offered to do the same thing after the first day of state. While not playing up to his standards he offered to give up his spot to Justin Little so Justin could play in the state finals.

I have learned that Macy Campbell did something very similar in one of her sporting events last year, stepping out of the spotlight in order to give a senior the opportunity to finish high school on a high note.

The school district, teachers, coaches and parents all have done an excellent job to instill these values in our children, and these students will go on to achieve much higher goals in life.

It is easy to get caught up in the thrill of victory, but it is just as important to acknowledge these unselfish acts, for these students are the true unsung heroes of this community and I as one of the parents could not be prouder.

Daniel F. Little