Let the spirit of Easter guide a change

Regardless of your personal religious beliefs, Easter is a good time for reflection. Even if you don't believe the story of the resurrection, you can subscribe to what it represents.

A new beginning. A triumph over past mistakes. And each of us needs that.

By virtue of being human, we are all prone to error. It's what we do about them that counts.

But just recognizing our failings isn't enough. We need to correct them, and that can mean hard work.

Sometimes, all it takes is an apology or an explanation to right a wrong. Sometimes it takes much more.

And sometimes it takes all of us working together to fix a common ill.

What kind of city do we want to live in? One where gangs intimidate or where drugs infiltrate? We've made some good strides to combat those ills, but we can always do more, both within our families, in our neighborhoods and in the community as a whole by supporting the sheriff's and fire departments.

And there are other ways we should get involved. We need to let our voices be heard, to help set the agenda when it comes to setting the city's budget.

Complacency will not do, and it's fitting that this is an important election year locally and nationwide. Voting is merely one way to have an influence ... consider also attending meetings, calling your supervisor or writing a letter to appear on the Appeal's Opinion page. And don't forget that you, too, can run for office.

In the spirit of this Easter season and new beginnings, let us commit to first putting our homes in order, then our community.

We will all be better for it.

• This editorial represents the views of the Nevada Appeal editorial board.