A little bit of this, a little bit of that and a few things I learned on the way to someplace else.

Living history

The dialysis clinic at West Georgia Health System will soon mark its 30th anniversary, and the newspaper was asked if we’d consider a story on the milestone. We are happy to oblige, looking forward to it, in fact.

Still, I felt a twinge of, well, amazement at the news. Can it really have been 30 years? I remember, very well, writing the first feature story on the clinic, shortly after it opened. Yet another reminder of the passage of time. Things I covered when they were new are now a part of “history.”

I shared that tidbit with a friend and loved her reply: “I’m right there with you. I was in an antiques mall recently, and the set of everyday Corningware bowls I got for a wedding present were for sale. Talk about the passage of time. My pattern is now an antique!”

Come to think of it, that twinge I felt might have just been arthritis.

Good reason to wake up



I have to confess to a pet peeve. I hate those emails that urge you - sometimes order you - to forward them to five or 10 or 15 more folks.

I don’t, and I won’t. No matter how clever or important the message. It’s a matter of principle.

But I’m not so principled as to resist passing along a nugget gleaned from one of those offending messages. This one started off with a high-minded and fully accurate definition of friendship: “It involves many things, but, above all, the power of going out of one’s self and seeing and appreciating whatever is noble and loving in another.”

That quote - which should have been credited to English author Thomas Hughes - rings true to me. The folks who love and appreciate others sure do make the best friends.

But the part I really liked came with this peeve-inspiring request, “In nine minutes, something will make you happy, and you have to tell nine sisters you love them, including me.”

Bah humbug to that. I didn’t even recognize the name of the sender.

But I did love the sentiment, and am making it my new goal in life: “Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning, the devil says, “Oh, shoot, she’s up!”

Sorta makes it easier to get out of bed, don’t ya think?

Seeing and believing

Oftentimes, when someone who has experienced great misfortune - a hurricane victim, for example - receives kind treatment or generous gifts from strangers, the resulting expressions of gratitude will be tinged with surprise. “There really are good people left in the world!” they will gush.

Of course there are. It shouldn’t take a disaster to see that. And we shouldn’t be surprised. We all see good people, here and elsewhere, every day. But sometimes, in the wash of bad news, we overlook it or don’t think of it that way.

I saddens me - and rankles me, a little - that some people think good news is rare. I don’t agree with that at all. At the risk of sounding like Pollyanna, I think those who don’t see good things happening aren’t paying attention.

Maybe we take the good news for granted and dwell on the other stuff. Or we just don’t think of simple, every day acts of kindness as “good news.”

Here’s an example. Last month, as schools were reopening, Certified Literate Community Program director Debbie Burdette - in her role as Mama Jama, the story telling mama - helped out at Rally Day at Loyd Presbyterian Church.

“Debbie Jama” is, without doubt, one of those women the devil hates to see get up in the morning.

And there are plenty of good people at Loyd. The church presented her with a generous check for use in the literacy program, then the Sunday School took up an offering for another $283, plus members collected six large tubs of school supplies and lots of new and gently used books. They went out of their way, in other words, to show goodwill in a positive, practical way.

I cite this admirable example not because it’s extraordinary, but because it’s typical. Caring people in churches, clubs anad organizations do those sorts of things all the time, not just for “back to school.”

Here’s a thought. This week, look for some good news, then share it. I’d be the last person to “order” you to email it, but if you’d like to share it with me, try alovejoy@lagrangenews.com

I promise you I won’t take it for granted.