There are a lot of worthwhile things to wish for in 2006. The old standards like peace and goodwill sound pretty good.

It would be hard for me to imagine a worse year in those two categories than 2005.

The peace part sure didnít happen, and despite our presidentís claims to the contrary, I donít see it happening any time soon.

Goodwill, well, maybe at church and school concerts and the Redwood Cafe. People in our communities are mostly generous and kind-spirited. They lend a helping hand when needed.

But when you go beyond that, there is a Grand Canyon that is dividing people.

I wrote about that a while back and got chastised a bit, which kind of proved my point. But I feel compelled to say it again, as a wish for 2006. Letís try to disagree with a little more respect for one another.

I had a discussion like that ó respectful ó earlier this month while working at the Rotary Soup Supper. A man whom I respect ó thereís that word again! ó sat down and visited with me, and our conversation turned to the war in Iraq. We really didnít agree on much. But we both made our points, we both listened. It was a very refreshing thing, and a very rare thing.

Another thing I will wish for along those lines are people who donít compromise their values or reputations for the sake of some kind of gain. Thatís a pretty basic human flaw, but it still bothers me a great deal when I see it.

It happened last week with two Minnesota politicians who changed their positions on oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. Minnesota Sixth District Congressman Mark Kennedy and U.S. senator Norm Coleman both had pledged not to support the measure. Then when the oil drilling got tackily tacked onto the defense appropriations bill, golly, Kennedy just had to vote for that. Coleman voted against a filibuster that removed the drilling from the defense bill. They justified their votes with some fancy footwork, something politicians are very good at. But wait, they opposed drilling in ANWR right? OK, then vote that way, and let the chips fall as they may. Stand up for your principles, if you have any to stand up for.

Enough of the politics, Dave. Letís get back to earth, to things that really matter.

I wish for a good snowy winter, one that will compel even those folks in Hawaii to yearn for home. One that will appease the snowshoe crowd and the Young Bud snowmobilers too.

Then letís merge into a very fine spring, with rain at the right time, and gardens full of tomatoes and fields full of corn. (Yikes, Iím already yearning for spring. Not a good sign.)

Weíll take a fine summer next, the kind that puts a grin on Alan Wunneckaís face as he oils up the binder and threshing machine. Hot, but not too hot. Dry, but not too dry. A thunderstorm or two, but no bad lightning please. A nice breeze for the barn dances, and a Gail Heil fiddle tune in the wind.

Then fall, with plenty of time for long walks under yellow canopies of leaves. And a five pound smallmouth bass. And a good harvest of corn and tomatoes. And and and.

Then another good December, with more wistful wishes by blowhard newspaper editors.

And maybe some peace and goodwill.

Happy New Year, readers and friends and those other folks too.

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