As a young mother, especially, I always admired those who could make their children mind with what seemed the slightest change in the tone of their voice or look.
I had a grandmother who I could never imagine personally challenging, only because I thought she walked on water. Her contentedness from a life well-lived radiated from her very being, and immediately put those in her company at ease. But her true knack with us kids was her willingness to listen to whatever we had to say with complete attention. Nothing was too trivial and everything was kept in strict confidence, which taught me that respect is a two-way street.
AS LAURA KELLY gave her first address to legislators as governor Wednesday night, I found myself wishing the camera had zoomed in closer so that all I could see was her.
Why?
Because as she was trying to convey her passions for and commitments to Kansas, it was distracting, and disheartening, to see her political counterparts give her short shrift.
Kellys opening remark for the desire to work in a bipartisan manner with all forces pulling in the same direction, was greeted with faces of stone.
Not a smile was cracked to give the Democratic governor a glimmer of hope for what could lie ahead.
We must unite around the values we share we must always remember that the people who sent us here expect compromise and results, Kelly continued.
No doing, said the body language of Republican leaders as if their hands were cast in concrete, unable to come together in applause.
After decades of debate over school funding, Kelly said that time is at end. Were going to properly fund our schools this year. And next year. And the year after that. Every year, every month, every day that Im governor, she said.
Just you try, the ultra-conservatives seemed to challenge, as again, they sat in silence while those Republicans brave enough to show their support joined Democrats in their applause.
And so it went, from education to expanding Medicaid to infusing rural areas with economic development to shoring up the budget, the Republican leaders gave every indication they would have no part of Kellys agenda.
And thats called leadership these days, perhaps taken from a page at the national level.
FORTUNATELY, we dont have to follow suit.
And frankly, we dont have time.
Every failed project puts us further and further behind those with vision. If something isnt working, we need to accept that fact and be open-minded to see what will.
