- 5/19/2013 Shepard designs dream room
- 5/19/2013 Sue Jolly Award will honor student Mock Trial Team member
- 5/19/2013 Anglican Church to host homeless meeting
- 5/19/2013 North Augusta bookings
- 5/19/2013 Suspect sought in theft of Walmart cell phones
- 5/19/2013 STEMfest exposes students to principles of science, technology
- 5/19/2013 North Augusta crime blotter
- 5/19/2013 North Augusta High School hosts 309 student runners
- 5/19/2013 Predators fall to Knights in walk-off fashion
- 5/12/2013 Predators stumble against Knights, face uphill battle
- 5/12/2013 Lady Predators have to win to stay in
- 5/12/2013 Phil Schaefer reflects on North Augusta history
- 5/12/2013 North Augusta golf team’s season ends in Sumter
- 5/12/2013 NAHS grad named SEC Men’s Golf Freshman of the Year
- 5/12/2013 World’s No. 1 disc golfer pays a visit to Hippodrome
- 5/19/2013 Column: Downtown developments: Vacations less and less important
- 5/19/2013 Wrinkles: Recognizing mothers and angels
- 5/19/2013 Phragments from Phyllis: A mother’s a mother for the rest of her life
- 5/19/2013 Letter: Bring the troops home from Afghanistan
- 5/19/2013 Column: New PASS exams intended to benefit student performance
- 5/19/2013 Chaplain's corner: In his hand
- 5/12/2013 Column: The best of both borders
- 5/12/2013 Chaplain’s Corner: A mother’s joy
- 5/12/2013 Downtown developments: Bad customer service, part two
- 5/12/2013 Letter: Riverkeeper is a benefit to North Augustans
Wrinkles: The many forms of hello and goodbye
Everyone has morning rituals. Mine is putting on the coffee, then peeping through the blinds to see if Meow-Meow is awake.As most animal lovers do, we all baby-talk to our pets without realizing it. This was brought to my attention when my son, who had awakened and was standing watching and listening, laughed and said, "You never say all those sweet things to me." Words - we don't realize how much they mean when we speak.Words can make us happy, sad or mad. Words like "hello" denote new, bright, anticipation, a new beginning.There are many "hellos" in our lives. Meeting new people, a new job, a new love, beginning a new marriage or a new career, all uplifting activities.There are many "goodbye's in our lives." Some are caused by betrayal, some just happen due to moving to new locations or a change in lifestyle. And, some take place over time.We all have friendships that we've enjoyed for many years and then an incident happens and we realize we have been betrayed. Our hearts are heavy, but we know it's time to say goodbye. A scar from the incident will remain forever and there may be some communication, but the scar will remain. My father taught me early in life a phrase I'll never forget: "Without trust, there can be no love or respect." And, this applies to all areas of life.If we could all love as our pets love us and as we love our pets - unconditionally - what a great world this would be.That love has presented itself to me in the cards received since Marion's death. The personal messages within the beautiful cards have taken me through the lonely days and dark nights as I read and re-read them again and again.Helen Steiner Rice provides the words in her "Unexpected Miracles:""The unexpected kindness from an unexpected place,"A hand outstretched in friendship, a smile on someone's face,"A word of understanding spoken in an hour of trialAre unexpected miracles that make life more worthwhile -"We know not how it happened that in an hour of needSomebody out of nowhere proved to be a friend indeed -"For God has many messengers we fail to recognize"But He sends them when we need them for His ways are wondrous wise!"So keep looking for an 'angel' and keep listening to hear -"For on life's busy crowded streets you will find God's presence near."
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