Dear Editor:

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is said to have assessed university politics by noting “they are so vicious precisely because there is so little at stake.”

Said differently, a little perspective goes a long way: Appreciate your good fortunes and don’t let petty, ego-driven squabbles become major wars.

That’s good advice anywhere, and particularly so in a town like Mammoth. We are immersed in Nature’s bounty, with unparalleled beauty and an incredible array of recreational options. In other words, it is the kind of place that should put into perspective how trivial most daily annoyances really are.

Yes, it can get annoying when your favorite trail or angling spot is jammed with visitors, but those folks are the economic engine that makes living here possible (and there are always other, quieter, trails and streams). Or if a dog pisses on your lawn, remember it’s only grass, hardly worth a screaming fit (and, besides, it will be covered with snow before you can blink). If Main St. is lined with cars, feel good for the gas station owners and take Forest Trail. And if you’re told you have to pay a bit more on your parcel tax to cover some wing-nuts’ boneheaded decisions on the Hot Creek development, drive up to the Vista, deeply breathe in the view, and remind yourself, “it’s only money.”

Or we can obsess over any or all of this, while the glories that surround us pass on by.

Christopher Meyers
Mammoth Lakes/Bakersfield