Something must give Handling the turbulence of life

Ihave debated writing this column for some time. I understand the subject is controversial, but I feel in my heart that sometimes we must write something tough because it is the right thing to do.

children are mature enough for a drag show, but I get to be the one to decide. I do not want some town council, county, state or federal government telling me yea or nay.

e books some are ghting in the library — I ask why. Just don’t let your children read them.

To those boycotting Bud Light — I understand the argument. If you want to protest through your pocketbook — whether I agree or disagree with your reasoning — I say go for it as long as you do not have some law passed to force it on me.

e louder the opponents have gotten — the more the other side has been pushing back.

However, like many, I am growing tired of the controversies and what feels like contrived battles over the LGBTQ community.

We are nearly a year removed from the unfortunate event at PrideFest in Castle Rock that has been dubbed a “wardrobe malfunction.” Let’s just say it — a drag queen’s breast plate was exposed.

It feels like those angered by this incident have taken the ght to councils, the county and more. It just hasn’t stopped.

I continue to be saddened by the local and national rhetoric targeting the LGBTQ community. I am saddened that people are vulnerable because of the increase in violent incidents and hate.

Two of my dearest friends in the world are a gay couple living in Palm Springs. eir friendship means so much to me. When I hear the hate being spewed out there — I often think of them and know they are such amazing people that I can’t in good conscience just keep standing by watching.

Regarding the drag queen show drama — to those protesting — you are often the same people saying we need less government in our lives. I often agree. I agree on this issue too.

Hear me out. What right do we have to say that an age restriction should be placed on a show like this in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, or Arapahoe County? Shouldn’t that be up to the parents? Shouldn’t it be completely up to the adults buying tickets?

In all honesty, I don’t think my

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As someone trying to skate the slippery slope known as the middle, and others like me, I am tired of it all. I am tired of the petty back and forth ghting.

I am absolutely no fan whatsoever of casting a large net of hate on an entire group. Why be so angry and hateful? And, before we talk about the idiot in Canada who said, “they are coming for your children” during a parade, please remember that is not a re ection of everyone.

I have gotten to know someone who transitioned from a man to a woman over the last few years. She is a beautiful soul whom I believe is a courageous human being. She has more courage than I could ever have. She is someone who has carried herself with great dignity in the face of a very critical society.

I do not believe she is someone who will hurt or negatively a ect my children. In fact, I have explained to my own children what she did. Because I did not make it a big deal, but just let them know to respect someone else’s choice — they treat her like everyone else and I am proud of that.

We may not agree or understand but somehow, some way — we must get back to a much more accepting place in our world. We need to be civil because this all comes down to human beings who are hurt by what’s happening every day. Another’s choices and decisions cannot become about making laws to stop them.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

NINA JOSS

Community Editor njoss@coloradocommunitymedia.com

With over 2 million miles own, I have experienced a lot of turbulence during those ights. Last month my wife and I were on a ight and for the most part it was a fairly smooth ight. However, during our descent the plane was violently rocked and had we not had our seatbelts on, we would have been tossed from our seats. In all my years of ying that was de nitely the toughest turbulence that I had ever experienced.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to sit next to many captains and pilots. As we would y through the turbulence, they would provide calming assurances that the planes are built to handle the turbulence and the pilots are trained to y us through safely. at has given me such great comfort over the years, a comfort that I tried passing along to some of the nervous yers I have had sitting next to me.

On one such ight as we were ying from Denver to Albuquerque, the turbulence was bad the entire ight as the pilot couldn’t nd an altitude where the air was smooth. e woman sitting next to me literally squeezed my forearm the entire ight, and I had never met her before. I didn’t mind and tried to assure her of the safety by sharing the stories pilots have shared with me, but she still held on for dear life.

Just last week I was ying on a Dreamliner, a massive airplane and super comfortable. e ight was full, and as we went through our ascent, the plane hit a pocket of turbulence and gave us a fairly good bounce up and down. ere were a few quick screams and gasps, but there was another sound I heard, children laughing. e plane went through a little more bumpiness before nding smoother air and with each bump and drop of the plane, the children continued to squeal as if they were on an amusement park ride. I believe their laughter and relaxed attitude served to calm the nerves of others who didn’t nd the turbulence so

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com amusing. ere are plenty of real-world problems that we face as a society, and we should pay attention to those and become as informed as possible, focusing on the facts instead of opinions and rants of others. It just seems like there is much more noise and turbulence around the silliest and smallest things that get us so worked up. For me, in these situations, my go-to response is laughter, as it really keeps me focused on the more important things in life.

Life is full of turbulence, isn’t it? It just seems that every single day we are at odds with one another over something. e turbulence of politics, of cancel culture, of societal pressures, and just overall discontent and disagreements brewing everywhere. Sometimes the turbulence is frightening as it escalates and becomes erce. And sometimes the turbulence is slight, but still enough to cause us some fear, worry, and doubt.

It has been said that our character isn’t de ned by what happens to us, it is de ned by how we handle what happens to us. e turbulence happening in the world doesn’t de ne who we are, how we respond to the turbulence is a much better barometer of who we are. Sometimes we have to just buckle up, fastening our seatbelts and riding out the turbulence as it will eventually smooth out. Other times we may need to hold onto one another, supporting and encouraging each other as we ght our way through the turbulence. And then maybe we can look at the silliest things that feel like turbulence and like the children on the airplane, laugh our way through it.

How do you handle the turbulence? Do you buckle up and ride it out? Do you hold on to others? Or do you decide that the best response is to smile and laugh it o ? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can decide to respond instead of react to all that the world has to throw at us, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

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