Letter: Sterling-Rock Falls is a great place to be

A friend and I were talking about our “good old days”. And I was reminded of just how fortunate we are to live where we do. Remember the toboggan slide and skating at Sinnissipi? Playing Tarzan along the canal? Jacks, jumping ropes, tag. The list goes on.

Kids just don’t do that much anymore. It is sad. Actually, this community has a lot to offer, even if some things are no longer practiced. We have two very good libraries, school systems, a hospital, four seasons. There’s the river walk in Rock Falls that is to be a model for others. Centennial Auditorium has Class A plays, concerts and other celebrations. Our park systems are amazing. And if we want to go big time, we are only an hour or more away from Madison, Chicago, the Quad-Cities, Rockford. Sterling has a new community garden, which offers those who like to garden but don’t have the space somewhere to raise their own food.

Yes, the roads are a bit tattered right now. But if you’ve traveled out of state often, you realize they aren’t always as bad as other places.

I chose to come back to this area after spending most of my adult life out of state. I’m glad I did. I have family here, friends, church, a social life. I’d rather think of the good that this community offers rather than the bad. Emphasize the positive. We can always keep working on the problems, but don’t get stuck on them.

Get out and enjoy what this area has to offer. And if you’re not satisfied, get involved in working on solutions instead of whining about what you don’t like. It’s easy. And it will make you feel so much better.

Carol S. Ahrens

Rock Falls