Better Than Coffee

Occasionally, something in my morning scan of the news lifts my spirits rather than dampens them. It's rare, too rare, but it does happen just often enough to keep me going. This was one of those rare mornings.

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Muslim families in the northwest metro suburbs, who for years have moved from one place to another for prayer services, won approval Tuesday night for a mosque that will share space with Plymouth's post office.

The Plymouth City Council voted unanimously to approve the Northwest Islamic Community Center's purchase and move into the building. The center plans to remodel it for family activities and to serve the worship needs of about 40 Muslim families centered in the Plymouth area.

"We welcome you to our community," Council Member Bob Stein said after the vote.

What a lovely sentiment and what a refreshing change over what is usually reported when Muslims seek approval for a new mosque/community center. Of course, it helps that Minnesota has a large community of Muslims, many from Somalia. That community has had ample opportunity to show that they are good neighbors, something that Minnesotans have clearly noticed.

And the new mosque in Plymouth is a win-win situation. The US Postal Service had the post office up for sale as part of its cost cutting retrenchment. The Islamic group has purchased the building and has leased back part of it to the government for a postal service counter. The USPS will still have a local presence.

It ain't much, but it's good news, and sometimes that's better than coffee in the morning.