Alderperson William Siebers’ Invocation At 10/02/2024 Common Council Meeting – “I may not know what might come next, but I’m okay with that, because for me, I know who is in control, and whatever it is that comes next, I will be okay, and I believe we will survive.”

Mayor Woodford: Tonight’s invocation will be delivered by Alder Siebers.

Alderperson William Siebers (District 1): Thank you, Your Honor. For 40 plus years I have journaled, and lately I’ve been going through some of my journals, and tonight I’d like to read one of my journal entries that I think is appropriate for an invocation. It’s titled “During challenging times, what assures me I’ll be okay.” The world seems to be drowning in peril, and I find myself at times believing the worst about people. Today we are so polarized with our belief, and with everything that is going on in this world, I have to wonder if we’re going to survive.

However, sometimes it is the little things that remind me that we are going to make it, like remembering that there was a time when people smoked in hospitals, and one wore seat seat belts–one did not wear seat belts, and sunscreen was optional. Remembering there was a time when we rode our bikes, and sometimes we wore our baseball hats but never our helmets. Remembering how special it was on a warm summer day to ride in the back of a pickup truck going 65 miles per hour. Remembering when the only bread we ate was white, butter was the only was real, and our lunch bag was truly blessed when it had Twinkies in it. As kids, we even tried to eat worms, and I don’t recall us getting sick. And then there was autumn, when we piled the leaves in the street and we burned them. Through it all we survived.

Life can be tough, and it hands us lemons from time to time. It hands us adults low metabolism rates and plenty of wrinkles as we grow older. It also hands us much harder things like divorce, cancer, chronic pain, mental illness, and deep political divide in our country. But it also hands us bacon, elastic waistbands, the words “I am sorry,” the beauty of a warm autumn day, the smell of a campfire.

Yes, it’s a little things that will help us get through the tough times. It is believing the best things about other people, laughing more, arguing less, and resisting an urge to always be right. I may not know what might come next, but I’m okay with that, because for me, I know who is in control, and whatever it is that comes next, I will be okay, and I believe we will survive. Amen.