August has always felt like a transition month to me. Summer is still hanging on, especially in Alabama, but the calendar is already pulling us forward. School begins again. Families settle back into routines. College students leave home.
Grandchildren head back to classrooms. And in our house, we still have a 15-year-old preparing for another school year, while our older children are already building careers and lives of their own.
At 54, I’m learning that family life doesn’t move neatly from one stage to another. The seasons overlap. One child may still need a ride while another is making adult decisions. You can be packing a lunch while also learning how to be a grandfather.
Somewhere in the middle of all that change, it helps to return to the basics. That’s one reason this month’s cover profile with Julie Turner Beard feels so timely. Before becoming Montgomery’s District 2 City Councilwoman, Julie spent four decades teaching, coaching, mentoring, and investing in young people. Retirement could have been her opportunity to step away, but one concerned Facebook post led neighbors to encourage her toward an entirely new chapter of service.
Julie’s story is grounded in a simple truth: meaningful change begins with relationships. She believes people want to be heard, trust must be earned, and leadership requires showing up—sometimes literally knocking on doors and meeting people on their front porches.
She also talks about getting “back to the basics.” In education, students need a strong foundation before they can build anything else. Julie believes communities work much the same way. Public safety, education, healthcare, clean streets, good parks, and neighbors who feel valued may not always sound glamorous, but they create the foundation on which a healthy city grows.
This month, Greg Budell shares his own very Greg-like account of undergoing an aortic aneurysm repair. Beneath the hospital humor, questionable contraband planning, and his battle with a hospital gown, there is something worth remembering: health has a way of bringing life quickly back to the basics. Breathing fresh air. Going home. Being grateful you’re still here.
Jeff Barganier takes us to Brasstown Valley Resort, where cooler mountain air, beautiful views, quiet trails, and an unhurried pace offer an early invitation toward fall. His story may have you ready to leave the flatlands yourself.
We’re also sharing Cooking Small, Eating Well, a practical feature for households that no longer have a full table every night. That one hits close to home. Our table is smaller than it once was, even though it isn’t empty yet. Learning to cook for fewer people can feel like another sign of change, but the people sitting there are still worth feeding—and the time around that table still matters.
Maybe that’s the thread running through this issue. Listen well. Care for your health. Enjoy where you are. Feed the people at your table. Serve the community in front of you.
Life changes. Families change. Our roles change. But the things that matter most remain surprisingly steady. Sometimes the best way forward is simply to return to them.