Before I get to this week's topic, I must first recommend and give due praise to “You're a Good Man Charlie Brown” the Broadway musical. I was blessed by a wonderful friend with a free ticket for this past Sunday.

Every play I've ever had the privilege of directing or participating in at the Star has been great or unique in its own way.  I usually leave a play feeling as if it's one the best shows I've ever seen. It was no different this time.

“Charlie Brown” offers something to people of all ages, from humor to the poignant memories of the child that lives in all of us. The musical numbers were brilliantly sung by the cast and the dancing seemed to flow without effort, choreographed by the talented Marti Sallee. I have never seen a more appropriately casted play. Each actor fit his character perfectly. It blew me away when Zach Grider (Snoopy) did his song and dance routine to “Supper Time” I honestly believe Zach could take his bone and dog house to Broadway  right mow and never have to do another thing in his life. That's how good it was. If you haven't made any other plans for this weekend, I implore you to go see this play. You'll be glad you did.

Now, on to a more serious matter, finding the middle ground on issues we so fervently believe in. There is no 100 percent right or wrong. The extremist on both sides of an issue need to be able to sit down and hear each other. Only then might a happy medium be found. No doing so is what causes so many problems in our society, from divorces to war.

Abortion is a very controversial issue with valid points and extremist on both sides. A lot of women struggle with what to do with an unwanted pregnancy. They must consider their religious beliefs, financial situation, and significant other. It is a very difficult and soul searching decision.

Of course, there are some women who use abortion as a form of birth control. I don't know how we stop that, but I do think that besides teaching sale sex and abstinence in school, we must teach personal responsibility, especially to girls.

Unfortunately females need to take more responsibility over their reproductive organs because they are the ones that carry the blessing or the burden.

Even though there are some accidental pregnancies, I think that birth control works for the most part. I planned for two children and used all precautions at all other times and never did I have an “accident”.

On the other side of the abortion issue you have extremist who do nothing but preach and judge women. Some even believe they have the right to walk in and kill the doctor. You never hear of these extremist lining up to take in and care of all the unwanted children of the world. I agree that late term abortion must end except at the risk of the mother's life.

Both sides must work together to reduce the number of abortions in this country. But we should not stand in judgment of women who chose this option. It is a legal procedure and I certainly don't want to go back to the days of dark alleys, coat hangers, and both woman and fetus dying. We must educate young women that we have to take charge of our own reproductive destiny. Men can walk away or take  you on Maury and say, “I ain't the baby daddy”.

Then there is gun owners, the NRA and the second amendment. I am one of those people who have extreme views on guns, but I am not an activist. I think the world would be a better, safer place if all guns were eradicated from this earth. But. I am a firm believer in the Constitution of the USA and it is a perfectly legal and a right to own a pistol, rifle, or a shotgun. I'm not about to go chain myself naked to a tree, to try to stop a hunter from shooting a squirrel.

On the other side, some members of the NRA don't want any regulations or laws imposed on gun owners. They don't want background checks, safety locks placed on them, and they think it is perfectly fine to walk around with a machine gun under their arms.

When the 2nd amendment was written it pertained to muskets, not machine guns. A machine gun's only purpose is to kill and it should be used exclusively by the military.

Lastly, there is PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). If I was financial able to, this is the organization I would give money to. I am an avid animal lover. I consider my pets as part of the family. Sometimes I like them more than members of my family. They don't judge you, they don't look at you and say, “It looks lie you've put on a few pounds.” All they want is unconditional love, and they gladly give it in return. I have even ran off the road to keep from hitting an opossom. So, I very much understand PETA's  love for all animals. But, sometimes they go too far.

They assault people wearing furs with paint guns. I may choose not to wear a fur but it's someone else's perfect right to.

Then last week these crazy loonies condemned President Obama for killing a fly! I wonder what they would do if they were locked in a room with an assortment of cockroaches, fleas, ticks, spiders, mosquitoes and a variety of other pests?

We all have opinions, you know what they say about that. There is no black or white but many vast sheds of gray in between.

We must learn to listen to each other, respect one another and be courteous. Sometimes it boils down to simply using common sense.

Till next time, forward ho!