Senator Tanya Storer's weekly report:

With all that is going on in the world, ranging from ongoing conflict in the Middle East, an impasse in Congress resulting in a Government Shutdown, the plethora of “pink postcards” received by taxpayers across the State, as a result of locally increased property taxes and numerous other challenges, there is no shortage of topics to discuss. It seems that the list of conflicts is endless. I am going to take a bit of personal privilege this week and talk about something entirely different.

Mentorship, service, inspiration and community. In Nebraska, we are really one big community often connected by fewer than 2 degrees of separation, so many reading this may already be aware that my dad, at the age of 86, passed away peacefully a couple of weeks ago. While there is no escaping the grief of the loss of those we love, I want to focus less on what we lost with his passing and more on what we gained by his example in life. My youngest son spoke at his funeral and laid out 5 key points that I think sum up those examples well.

1. “Be great at being yourself. Jerry loved being Jerry and he did it well.” The lesson for us all is to worry less about what others think and spend far less time comparing ourselves to others or coveting what others have. In a world of social media that motivates posts aimed at “likes” and “shares” we are too often driven to portray our lives in a way that others will approve of. We often lose our focus on compassion, transparency and individuality. May we all strive to be the best version of ourselves, not someone else and focus more on the windshield rather than the rearview mirror.

2. “When you see others struggle, see it as an opportunity to help.” Jerry was always willing to help others, regardless of their status or what they could do for him. He took great joy in seeing others achieve their goals and had a particular motivation to help anyone who was willing to learn and work hard. This was best evidenced in his passion for youth, specifically in the show ring. He provided calves for the AK-SAR-BEN Catch-A-Calf contest, recognized youth with the famous hand tooled leather belt buckle given to 4-Hers for over 30 years, and coached many a young herdsman both in and out of the show ring. In a world of “what can you do for me” may we be reminded that giving is far more rewarding than receiving.

3. “Be bold in your pursuits and gracious towards others in their pursuits.” Dad was one of the first to import the genetics of Chianina cattle from Italy back in the 70’s and took plenty of criticism for it, but the impact that has had on the innovation of crossbred cattle has left an ongoing imprint on the industry. He began preaching the concept of value based marketing and pasture to plate genetics over 40 years ago and was involved in some of the first pilot programs including the then Koehler farms and Pro-Mark. With the determination of many other leaders in the cattle industry, 40 years later, we see those types of programs finally achieving sustainable success. Be bold, be gracious and be brave. You may not always benefit immediately from your labor but it could end up being the seed needed for the harvest later.

4. “When you get the chance, make someone smile.” Dad loved people and it showed. You seldom saw Jerry without “that smile”, unless of course you were sorting cattle and then it was all business! If you know, you know. Dad always loved a good joke, sharing a cold beverage with friends new and old, and a friendly game of cribbage. Be reminded that laughter is the best medicine and a smile can change someone's day.

5. “Love passionately. Grandpa loved. Passionately.” He loved not only family, friends and cattle, but he LOVED Cherry County. I cannot tell you how many conversations with complete strangers that I witnessed where he would proudly share statistics about Cherry County and encourage them to visit. The signs you see at each entrance to the county proudly proclaiming “Cherry County, God's own Cow Country” were one of his projects and he was so proud to be a part of that.

Thank you for not only letting me share a part of my dad with you, but for taking this time to focus on something positive in a world full of negatives. Enjoy being you, give more than you receive, be bold, be brave and be gracious, SMILE more and love passionately. Each one of us can make a difference.