Musings

By Sean Dietrich I have here an email from a woman named Ella who lives in New York City. Ella writes: “I turn 76 years old in two days... I’m trying not to lose my mind, but being trapped inside this little apartment and self-quarantining with my daughter and her roommate,...

By Rick Moore A few years ago, in one of America’s larger cities, a diverse group of seventy adults were asked to grade the artwork scattered throughout their town. Using an app, their grades and personal remarks were accumulated in order to influence what future artwork would be placed in...

from Mel and Mona Ponder, Business Empowered: Isaiah 59:19b – “When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” - hope Psalm 91 – “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow...

By Sean Dietrich I went to the mailbox today and found a package. Before I opened the parcel I already knew what was inside. And it brought my whole life back in a moment. Sometimes, my memory can be foggy. But sometimes it can be remarkably clear. On rare occasions I...

By Sean Dietrich Do you remember when we met? I do. It was a Barnes and Noble bookstore. I was reading; you were with friends. You waltzed through the door with that determined walk you have. That I-can-take-care-of-myself walk. There are some things a man never forgets. You wore a baby-blue sweater. Your...

By Rick Moore The most traveled road for locals and visitors alike throughout the Emerald Coast is Highway 98. Many are surprised to discover Highway 98 extends through several states. Decades ago, I would travel that road several times a year from my home in Mobile, Alabama, through the state...

By Sean Dietrich CRACKER BARREL—I am eating breakfast with a cute date. My date is a baby. A fat baby. She is my niece, Lucy. I love fat babies. They do something to me. They make me feel like the world is warm and squishy. When I hold Lucy, I feel...

By Rick Moore Reading, writing and arithmetic are commonly referred to as the “Three Rs.” This phrase first appeared in “The Ladies Magazine” in 1818. It seems like someone at that magazine was really hooked on phonics. Obviously, only one of these words actually begins with the letter R. While...

By Gueary Clendenning Christmas is just around the corner. After Thanksgiving, the pace quickens toward the big day! We’ll find ourselves in a big rush, always pursuing one more thing we need to get accomplished. We look for the nearest parking spot in the crowded mall, searching for the perfect...

By Sean Dietrich I feel a little silly writing you. Recently, I wrote a column about how when I was a boy I always wanted you to bring me a cowboy hat. A silver-belly colored Stetson. A few days later, one showed up on my porch from an anonymous person....