It was five years ago that I wrote the first Warm Thoughts column over a cup of tea. I can remember the moment as if it happened yesterday. The first day of spring in 1993 was a beautiful springy day. Surprise, surprise! On Sunday morning, following that first day of spring, I awoke to a winter wonderland and a real South Dakota prairie blizzard. However, my pioneer spirit urged me to go to church that morning. Surprise, surprise! I was the only parishioner in church that morning. I was not aware that weather conditions were that severe to call off church services. What a lonely feeling. I later joked that the pastor went through the entire message and even shook my hand as I left the services! That afternoon, as the north winds blew and the snow covered the plains, I sat down at my old typewriter and typed the very first column of Warm Thoughts as I sipped a cup of tea. And I had many warm feelings as I appreciated a warm and safe home as the winds blew.

Throughout these years, you, the readers have encouraged me and enabled me to keep on keeping on writing enthusiastically. You have been the angels in my life. For my readers of this warm thoughts column have been my friends and my friends readers. Together we have shared many joys and challenges in our daily lives, and you have been the greatest. Thanks for all you have shared and contributed to this column. Your warm thoughts have often written this column. And so I share these warm thoughts written by an unknown author, "Ode to Good Friends. It has been my joy in life to find at every turning of the road, a strong arm of a comrade kind to help me onward with my load. And since I have no gold to give, and love alone must make amends. My only prayer is while I live God make me worthy of my friends."

Dear readers, you have to believe the buds will blow, believe in the grass and the days of snow. Ah, that's the reason a bird can sing on his darkest day, he believes in spring. Author unknown. Believe it is spring! Happy Spring.

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G Werner

Published in the Marion Record March 26th, 1998.

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Till next time,

Trina