Columns

November is all but over. December is just around the corner—waiting and ready, eager to get started.

When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of a time of giving thanks. Then I wonder if I have a life filled with Thanksgiving like I could have. Really, I know there is plenty of room for growth in that area.

After all the hand washing and masks and shots and boosters, I have finally come face-to-face with COVID. I have met the enemy and … it was pretty much a draw.

I contemplated. I wondered, “how can I most effectively handle the situation?”

More than a third of November has already passed. Thanksgiving is fast approaching.

Freedom isn’t free, a truth we are reminded of more than ever by the citizens of Ukraine as they fight to preserve their own independence and democracy. As we celebrate Veterans Day this year, I am grateful for those whose service in our country’s Armed Forces has helped safeguard our freedoms. They deserve our gratitude — and more.

(Editor’s Note: This article describes deer hunting. Hunting practices vary among Amish communities. In some churches, guns are frowned upon even for hunting. In others, guns for hunting are acceptable. The Amish are, in most cases, pacifists and firearms are used just for hunting. Hunting is a practice and a tradition in Gloria’s community. Deer and other wild game are harvested and used in their entirety to feed the family, something that is gaining importance with rising food prices)

Only a few days remain until Nov. 8, general Election Day. It seems that every time I open the paper or turn on the news, I see multiple stories about the upcoming election. And many of those stories are focused on the administration of elections, not just about the races and candidates that are on the ballot. It seems that people are much more interested in how elections are run than in the past.

Remember how Daniel enjoyed occasionally writing columns for me and how he couldn’t stay away from the subject of relationships? I wonder if God put it there, knowing that at the prime age of 33, he’d be called to leave Earth’s ranks.

Nine years in, let me confirm with great enthusiasm, retirement is great. No alarm clocks, no being on call, no schedules. It’s bliss. I planned hard and saved hard for my post-work years and the result is well worth the effort. The thought of returning to a job has never occurred to me. There was no career that could lure me away from leisurely awakening, two hours of coffee drinking, the New York Times crossword puzzle, and pickle ball. Until now.