Humility, gratitude all part of Thanksgiving

Humility, gratitude all part of Thanksgiving

I was asked to re-run (and I quote), “That column you wrote for Thanksgiving a few years ago.” I am not sure what column the reader referred to (I’ve penned a lot of Thanksgiving columns in 37-plus years), but I think it might be this one. If not, sue me. It’s one of my favorites. […]

A time to remember others, empathy and gratitude

A time to remember others, empathy and gratitude

Yup, it’s November, and I usually wait until we’re closer to Thanksgiving before I start preaching all the love and kumbaya stuff. You know, be nice, love one another, scooby, dooby, doo. However, after what happened in Oxford almost a year ago, I reckoned it was more betterer to start soonerer (kids don’t write this […]

Don dives in to the weird stuff

Don dives in to the weird stuff

I don’t know why it is, but it has always been. When it comes to “interesting” items my curiosity is piqued. Maybe it was because when I was but a wee shaver (which was years before I started shaving) I had a grandpa tell scary (but true) stories and his son, Uncle Jim told outlandishly […]

We’re not ogres up here

We’re not ogres up here

Lately I’ve opined on Oakland County’s proposition for a county-wide mass transit system. Since I am a firm believer in the idea of when you’re on a roll, keep her rolling, I reckon, I will do it one more time. The county commissionerss did a marvelous job, masterful really, of passing a resolution putting the […]

You Got This!

You Got This!

Every once in a while I hear of a positive story idea, or better yet, of a person who makes a positive impact. Let me tell you, I love it when I do. I especially like to hear the good ol’ positive spin because these days there’s a lot of angry folks out there, folks […]

If you write it they will read (and hopefully respond)

If you write it they will read (and hopefully respond)

Writing a column is a privilege. It isn’t just something which is bestowed upon a writer. Quite frankly, it’s not something all writers can do. Fortunately for me, I’ve outlasted many who have opined on the pages of this community newspaper. Not that I’m any good at it, but I think after all the decades, […]

Some thoughts I think

Some thoughts I think

My mind has always wandered and as such I usually don’t come to a conclusion straight away. I mull on things. I daydream. I question and ponder. I even dare to imagine. It’s been this way since I was a kid in school and teachers needed make sharp, loud noises to get me from looking […]

So you wanna’ write a letter to the editor . . .

So you wanna’ write a letter to the editor . . .

I must be getting soft (and, not just in the belly). It seems the older I get the softer I get in regards to demeanor. I prefer not to yell, jump up and down like an angry three-year-old, point fingers nor call people names (unless it’s actually their names). I think I know why, too. […]

There is a way to healing – moving forward

There is a way to healing – moving forward

  This week I talked with two people – one for a story, another who visited me to drop off something she had written from her heart which she wanted to share. As always, sometimes there are no coincidences. Life lines up encounters for a reason and the reason these two spoke with me is […]

You know you’re getting old when . . .

You know you’re getting old when . . .

There were a couple of things that happened to your hero recently that really drove home the point that, dang, I’m getting old. First, in August I received a nice little letter from the United States Social Security Administration. States the letter, “You have earned enough credits to qualify for retirement benefits. To qualify for […]