It’s been awhile since I’ve written in this space. I will try to become more regular in writing as we get into the summer months and we don’t all see ourselves coming and going.

I’ll never forget the day I graduated high school. I consider it one of the bigger accomplishments of my life, considering the time and work it takes to make it happen. This isn’t unlike what about 53 graduates will experience in our coverage area this weekend. They are all to be commended for their work they’ve put in. I hope it’s safe to say our communities are proud of them all for the rite of passage they will experience this Sunday afternoon.

I don’t usually get anxious, but I’m not going to lie, we’re entering the time that last year, I was in the hospital for about nine days due to a severe infection in my abdomen. That time reminded me of a lot of things. One of the primary things it reminded me of was to slow down a little. I’m not very good at that sometimes, but being in a hospital bed for that long forces you to.

In our world today, I feel like there’s sometimes this pressure we put upon ourselves to do everything we can as fast as we can, or it’s not good enough. I think that’s the biggest thing I would encourage this year’s graduates to guard against. Yes, you can do whatever you put your mind to, but don’t go so fast that you miss the scenery along the way or the ones you love the most. It’s vitally important you get that right.

Graduates, you have many people cheering you on as you cross the stage and move onto the next stage in your lives, no matter what that is. Many people are thinking of you and praying for you from your hometown as you go.

If you do go, don’t forget that it’s not a bad idea to come back and plant more roots here as adults. We have numerous young adults in our community right now that are doing great things to prove that it really is cool to come home, even if right now you think this is the last place you want to spend the rest of your life.

Field of Dreams

The only other thing on my list this week is something I just heard. The Field of Dreams movie site near Dyersville, in Dubuque County, is getting a facelift.

The new owners of the Field of Dreams site announced this week an $80 million complex that will include youth baseball fields galore, team dormitories, a hotel and more.

All of the work is scheduled to be complete in 2025. The Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds are slated to play a Major League Baseball game there August 11.

I love this idea and love giving kids an opportunity to play a game they love, but how can you not love the rural Iowa views that were on television during last year’s game? I can’t help but think that might get lost in a new, sprawling development. I can’t help but mutter the words a wise man once said...”If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

We’ll see how this all turns out. I still want to visit the Field of Dreams. It’s on my short list of intriguing places right here in Iowa I haven’t visited yet, but want to.