OPINION
Safety matters! It certainly does!
If you are a walker, jogger, hiker, biker or just a pedestrian out for a short stroll or your dog is taking you for one, please put on clothing that makes you apparent to others who may be driving motorized vehicles.
Our older towns have many areas that do not have sidewalks, causing you to have to take your journey in the street.
Everyone wants you to get to your destination.
Early morning and evening, you're just another shadow amongst a lot of shadows.
Same on cloudy, rainy days.
At dawn and dusk, drivers are facing our bright sunlight and cannot see you.
It is important that you wear light-colored or reflective clothing to make yourself more visible.
Buy something for your dog that is reflective.
Parents, please make sure that your children are dressed appropriately for walking dogs or biking.
I spoke with representatives from the Pilot Point Police and Fire departments.
Here's some suggestions from these professionals: If you are on foot, wear refl ective or light-colored clothing and you can have a headband with a light on it when walking early in the morning, in the evening or at night.
Some shoes are built with reflective areas.
If biking, again wear reflective or light-colored clothing, but the bike should also be equipped with a headlight and a refl ective surface on the back fender.
Pedals can also have a reflective tape.
They also suggest that you wear a safety helmet with reflective tape and a headlamp.
The fire department also suggested that parents invest in knee and elbow pads for children.
We all see so many people who have knee problems now that may have started from falling off of bicycles when a child. Protect those vulnerable places on your children.
I was requested to write this column by someone who drives frequently in our small town with no sidewalks.
She says that almost no one has reflective gear on, and it's very difficult to see people.
Her family also walks many places in town, making her acutely aware of the difficulties.
Please dress appropriately for what you're doing.
We all want to see you around our small, old town areas, exercising to your heart's content.
Be alert and stay safe! We all know that bananas are good for us.
They are recommended as a daily nutrient in our diet by doctors.
Did you know that those strings left when you peel your banana are actually edible?
They're called phloem bundles and are the banana plant's way of getting water, minerals and nutrients to the banana fruit.
They don't have much of a flavor, and they're not very pretty, but they do have a lot of nutrients.
I take my strings and chop them up with a banana in my oatmeal.
Then I put the peel in my composting pile.
Nothing wasted! A fruit after my own heart.
Have the loveliest of holiday seasons this year— Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year.
Cindy “Mama C” Faris is a Pilot Point resident, and she is offering life advice for any who want it. She can be reached at [email protected].
CINDY FARIS
