Fall Prevention and Detection
Fall prevention in older adults is a major health priority because falls can lead to serious injuries, reduced independence, and even death. Effective prevention usually involves addressing physical, environmental, and medical risk factors together. Some key risk factors include muscle weakness, poor balance, vision impairment,…
Callaway’s Calling
The story of Callaway Gardens is reminiscent of Bible prophecy. Isaiah 35:1 NIV: The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. According to horticulturist Chris Hall, “Mr. (Cason) Callaway was into conservation. This property was burnt-out cotton and...
The Gift of Presence
This month kept pulling me toward one word: presence. Not the rushed, distracted version we all fall into sometimes. Real presence. The kind that slows down enough to notice people, linger in conversations, show up for family, encourage someone hurting, or simply make room for...
Summer Starts Early Around Here
You can always tell when summer is arriving in Alabama because the fireworks tents start showing up in random parking lots like invasive species. One day it’s an empty lot beside a gas station. The next day there’s a giant red, white, and blue tent...
BOOM! COVER PROFILE: Debby Thomas
For more than four decades, Debby Thomas has quietly built a life rooted in service, faith, and community across Alabama’s River Region. A nurse by profession and a servant at heart, her journey has taken her from Midwestern beginnings to a life deeply woven into...
Greg on The Value of Citizenship: Why It’s More Than Just a Fancy Passport Stamp
In an era where there’s such political polarity, one item has established massive support among all. Voter I.D. The concept enjoys 80-20 support among Dems, Republicans, and Indies. Yet, the current Congress could not bring itself to pass the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship...
Chivalry. In a Teahouse?
When wife Cindy suggests I write about a “teahouse” in Auburn, I’m not too excited. But my deadline is approaching and I don’t have time to plan a truly exciting writing assignment like rappelling from a helicopter into a tropical jungle. How does an outdoorsman...
Housing During Retirement: Your Go-Go Years, Your Slow-Go Years and Your No-Go Years
When people think of retirement, they often envision the couple walking on the beach, sailing the sailboat, or playing golf. It is easy to picture the active part of retirement that is free of the stresses of work and career. However, with many retirees living...
The Graduation Circuit
There’s a certain time of year when your calendar starts filling up with events that all look the same—graduations, ceremonies, receptions, and invitations that somehow all land on the same two weekends. I call it the Graduation Circuit. You start getting the cards in the...
When Your Partner Is Struggling with Midlife
Sometimes the shift is subtle. Your partner seems quieter than usual. Maybe they’re a little more withdrawn, more irritable, or just…not quite themselves. Conversations feel different. Energy is off. The things that used to matter don’t seem to carry the same weight. And you find...