Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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What a fun article on Secretariat and First Secretary by Rachel Blount ("State ties to legend of Secretariat," June 4).

In 1974 I was a student at St. Mary's College in Winona and worked part time at Sahaptin Farm cleaning stalls, walking horses and anything else they asked me to do. I was thrilled to be around the horses and knew what to do with piles of manure having just spent a year working on a cattle ranch in Montana.

I was lucky enough to be at the farm the night First Secretary was born. So exciting, pure joy! Everyone was so happy for Jack and Lynn Nankivil and their family.

I continued to work at Sahaptin Farm for a couple of years after graduating. I became horse manager and after training at Colorado State University implemented the breeding program for First Secretary. These were exciting times for all of us but particularly Jack, Lynn, Lisa, Amy and Paige Nankivil.

I left the farm after a couple of years but my love for horses was embedded in my soul. I have been lucky enough to share that passion with my family and grandkids riding in the Beartooth Mountains in Montana. What a blessing.

I am 71 and just bought a new horse last month! Can't wait to ride him.

Greg Stevens, Falcon Heights

Where does Minnesota go from here?, Star Tribune Opinion asked June 4.

The "here" is the expected impact of the extraordinary 2023 legislative session on economic, political and social fronts. The call for submissions rightly concludes with the statement, "We do think of Minnesota as an exceptional place."

Assuming that Minnesota is indeed an exceptional state, which I do believe is true, the question is what has made it so. In August 1973, Time magazine put Minnesota on its cover with the headline, "The good life in Minnesota." The headline of the story inside the magazine was, "Minnesota: A state that works."

The goal of civilization, including our government, is not to perpetuate the laws of the jungle. It is to make our state and our world more humane and fairer for the greatest number of people. In the words of our late Sen. Paul Wellstone, "Politics is not about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives."

My answer to the question where does Minnesota go from here is to stay the course. To keep doing what it is doing, inspired by love and guided by knowledge and with smart, long-term investments in education, health care, infrastructure and social justice programs.

The results of the extraordinary legislative session of 2023 will help Minnesota to create an even better society and will improve Minnesotans' lives.

Stay the course, Minnesota! Thank you!

Ben Kyriagis, Plymouth

Where does Minnesota go from here? An interesting question! I think citizens want and need to be heard. Many decisions are made by city council members or mayors of cities without gathering adequate input and feedback from the community. I would like to see community conversations take place — groups of folks meeting over coffee in small towns, gathering in neighborhoods in larger cities and talking about what is working, what is not working and what could we do to make changes in our community. I see this as a several-step process with folks gathering and developing a list of concerns and ideas to move forward. Next step would be inviting council members and mayors to have a conversation and listen to the community.

Great ideas come when we really listen to each other. We need to return to having civil conversations even if we don't agree with each other. We have become so divided along party lines with so much anger. We don't have to all believe in the same thing, but we do need to be respectful and open to hearing each other. Who's ready to talk?

Marcy Tollefson, Minneapolis

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I voted Democrat. I'd like to hear how the Democratic Party is going to ensure our large investment in Minnesota's future will be efficient, economically sound and achieve what is intended. Any fool can spend money. It is frighteningly easy — I know I've done it. What is difficult is investing money, not just spending it. I'd like an article or series of articles on how elected leaders, both Democrat and Republican, plan to invest and save money in the future.

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Over the last two decades I've seen the Twin Cities go through many changes. I've seen local watering holes, movie theaters and middle-class housing all displaced by retail below and six stories of apartments above, in your choice of beige and now monotone colors, that don't have sufficient parking. I've seen turning lanes replaced with bike lanes, light rail running through a swamp, a shiny empty commuter rail.

I now avoid traveling in any rush hour if I can avoid it. Zippy people, rude people and impatient people seem now to be the norm. Is this the future we want for our Minnesota Twin Cities? I hope not.

I hope Minnesota's future lies in our population doing one thing: spreading out. We have high-speed internet just about everywhere in the state now thanks to Sen. Amy Klobuchar. If one of your family's income earners can telecommute, go buy some land, build a house, and contribute to the local economy. Your money goes so much further outside of Hennepin/Ramsey/Dakota counties. Outstate people will get to know you, and before you know it the political divides won't be as divisive. Why be red or blue when you can be purple!

Skol!

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After the very positive legislative session, which presents Minnesota as a beacon of light and hope in a fractured country, I would like to see us build on the increased inclusion that has been put into law. We should be the "All Are Welcome Here" state. That simple yet profound statement, "All Are Welcome Here," that we see all over on many yard signs in many neighborhoods, store windows, schools, places of worship and restaurants, says it all! All those who are transgender or bisexual or queer are welcome here. All women who want autonomy over their own bodies and all doctors who wish to treat women with the full range of options for their medical care are welcome here. All felons who have served their time are welcome to vote and come back into our communities for a fresh start. All those who use marijuana for recreation, or for anxiety management, or for whatever personal reason they might have, are welcome here. All immigrants are welcome. All children who are hungry are welcome to eat lunch at school at no cost without feeling any different than their peers.

This message of empathy and inclusion should be our gold standard, our mission statement, going forward. All are welcome here in Minnesota!