OPINION
When I was dropping my daughters off to spend time with my niece this week, I saw a bumper sticker that said, 'Everything is connected.'
That's a simple science lesson we all learn as children through examples of a food web.
Communities are no different.
As strange or morbid as it might sound, one of my favorite examples of that is when I read the obituaries that are submitted to us and I can see how families are woven together throughout the area.
Very little in life exists in a vacuum.
That idea came up at the Tioga ISD meeting Monday, when trustee Brandon Miller said he wished that the Texas Education Agency would look at the audit reports all together and not each one individually to understand the way they affect each other and reflect the financial position of the district without having to reevaluate them.
Everything, even down to who we are, is the result of a compilation of experiences and influences that color how we see the world.
Those connections and relationships influence the way decisions are made, how alliances form and what shapes the community. Almost always, connections form between people or groups before they are fully aware of all of the salient details about the other entity. It's truly important to enter relationships—whatever the nature—with open eyes and the understanding that everyone has flaws and weaknesses.
With election season upon us, I would highly advise everyone to research the options that will appear on their ballot.
Don't just take someone else's word for it if they vouch for someone.
Look them up. Read or listen to their stances for yourself.
Look for ways they have influenced—from behind the dais or not— their community.
Being engaged and informed is a crucial part of the process of being a member of a community.
Don't take those rights for granted.
Abigail Allen is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal. She can be reached at aallen@postsignal. com.
