Tuesday, July 20, 2010 My Turn • The people are still the best reason to live in Susanville

Publisher’s note: This My Turn column by Patrick Shillito originally appeared in the Tuesday, July 20, 2010 edition of the Lassen County Times.

Well folks in Susanville, I feel it has fallen on me once again to remind our glorious community why living here can be such a blessing and amidst such tumultuous times, hope can still shine through. Now before I start sounding like a commercial for some anti-anxiety medication, let me explain.

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me as a person, a reporter, a comedian and an entertainer. Once, again, The Susanville Repertoire Company, of which I’m a member, took on a new challenge and performed a 1930’s themed USO variety show on the opening night of the Lassen County Fair, Wednesday, July 21. While the grandstand may not have been packed, our largest crowd ever gathered for the variety show, which showcased stellar performances from some of the county’s most beloved entertainers.

On Friday, July 16, my fellow comedians at DogTag Comedy and I took to the stage at the Pioneer Saloon for a night of standup comedy. It was a nice size crowd and the audience seemed to respond well to our filthy sense of humor.

On the plus side, I’ve been seeing a more diverse group of people at these performances. On the down side, some of our entertainment doesn’t appeal to the new crowd.

That’s where the happy medium comes into play. The friends and family who are there for the show no matter, rain or shine. They’re people who are truly supportive when you try to break out of the mold and do something different, the people who always tell you how great of a job you did, even when you know they’re lying.

These folks are the reason why you get over your fears or try to be a better person. It’s their undying support and loyalty that allows us to do our best. And as many issues that are facing Lassen County right now, it’s the relationships with your fellow community members that are going to allow you to forge ahead and make it through to the other side.

I have no family in Lassen County. In fact, I have no family within a 200-mile radius. I’m the first person to admit I do a terrible job of keeping in touch with them, even though I love them all very much.

In their absence, however, I have formed relationships with people all over the county who I consider as close as family. Some are lifelong locals, some are transplants like myself. It’s this extended family that has kept my interest in the city of Susanville for the last few years, keeping me from losing my sanity and giving me the love and attention I hope to never take for granted.

Whenever it seems like this town has got me down, they are there to pick me back up. No matter how bad things get, it seems like there’s always someone around to offer a fresh perspective or an idea that can make me feel good about myself again and allow me to move forward.

It’s one of the fantastic things this community is known for. Lassen County’s resilience is a testament to its people and the strife they have had to endure over the course of the last few decades. From shifting economies to devastating fires, even the (barely) occasional state financial crisis, this community has endured hardship like a boat in a squall. Its people have made it through hard times by banding together and helping each other out, holding fundraisers for the sick, donating in abundance during the holiday seasons, even just shoveling snow off a neighbor’s walkway during the winter.

Lassen County’s residents know no bounds when it comes to the capacity of their hearts, a trait that is in very rare abundance in the world today. Despite all its flaws and imperfections, this community is a product of the hard work of its people, both local and transplanted.

And even if the horizon still looks bleak, I know from the people I see every day that it will never be too dark to carry on.

Keep helping each other, folks of Lassen County. I know it sounds corny and cliché, but we all could get by with a little help from our friends.