Beth Shelley, Booerie Creek
I walk around Lismore and people smile at me. I’m delighted and give a big happy smile back. It makes my day. The world becomes a friendly, happy place and you share a feeling of connection with your community. Giving a smile seems like a small thing but when we’re all smiling at each other everyone feels happier.
Serving and helping others in your community is satisfying and that’s why I fight for trains because I know they could help the most vulnerable.
I remember what it was like to have no transport as a young person and no ability to drive when I’ve broken my wrist, or my arm or injured my leg. I’m getting older and breaking bones is happening regularly.
I believe trains are a way to make things fairer and kinder for those of us who are elderly, disabled, young or poor. And it matters. People suffer from isolation without transport and can’t visit family or medical appointments.
Having little or no public transport doesn’t help to make this world a better place for all.
People in government don’t understand what it’s like as they have easy access to transport. They live in their ivory towers of power where it matters more whether the companies donating to them are happy.
I wish they could know the satisfaction and joy of truly serving their community because they might find it gets them more votes in the end. The Greens don’t take donations from big companies so they can focus on serving the needs of their communities and I’ll bet they generally feel happier.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
