The Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann is not a household name. It may seem odd that with everything going on locally, nationally and globally, I chose to use my commentary space to tell you about him. I …

An article in the Times-Union of Jacksonville from May 25, 2025 was titled, “Don’t you ‘Sweetie’ me!” by Paula Span. The article was about “elderspeak.” It …

Grief is difficult in every way. We don’t know what grief will be like until we are plunged into it. We may have a few role models, but good ones are hard to find. As a culture, Americans are …

Spring is already sliding into summer. Maybe you, like me, are thinking of the spring cleaning projects you envisioned completing by now. Maybe your cleaning list stayed on a Post-it note or inside …

There is so much to love about Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island. We have a lively downtown with good restaurants. We have a historic Black beach community that preserves history and culture in its …

I see much to appreciate in the first photo I share with you on Mother’s Day. It is of two beautiful young girls enthusiastically holding signs of their creation high above their heads at a …

Deborah and I became friends through our mothers. When girls are little, their mothers often become friends through mutual play dates, parties and school functions. Our mothers became friends when …

Springtime is a season for engagements and weddings. These occasions mean trips to jewelry stores for diamonds. Diamonds are a big purchase. One wants to make sure their money is well-spent. That is …

The last song in my choir's Lenten cantata was entitled, “Waitin’ for the Mornin’.” The final song had a different vibe. The previous songs told the story of the last week of …

The last four Wednesdays, I stepped away from my normal routine and went to church at noon. It wasn’t going to church that was outside my routine. I have attended church all my life. I am in …

Have you ever been in the minority? Maybe you traveled abroad and visited where no one spoke English. It can be frustrating and even a little scary. I am part of the 10% of the global population …

Have you wondered what weightlessness would feel like? Two very brave astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, experienced it for 9 months longer than they had planned when they launched into …

I celebrated my birthday last week and was struck by a memory of my birthday five years earlier. In 2020, because the weather was warm, my friends opted to take me on a sunset cruise on the Amelia …

Daylight saving time leaves us a little groggy and confuses our pets as to their dinner time. Once our bodies and our pets adjust, we can enjoy an extra hour of daylight. The change confuses us for a …

Can you imagine having an encounter that was so important to you that you thought about it for the next 45 years? A meeting like this happened to scholar, theologian, writer, civil rights leader and …

John McClane and Wendell McGahee laughed together after a panel discussion at Memorial United Methodist Church last Thursday evening. They are “homegrown” Fernandina men whose lives have …

At a time when many are drawing the circle around themselves tighter due to fear and uncertainty, Brendan Twiggs, a 20-something Fernandina native, is widening his circle. Why? It has to do with the …

My cat’s name is Jitters. He has lived up to it. He runs out of the kitchen when my toast pops up. He hightails it under the bed if the doorbell rings. He needs safe spaces. In these stressful …

A friend of mine is a tireless advocate for animal rescue. She matches her words with actions. Her story reminds me it is possible to make a difference right where you are. She volunteers …

“Is anybody going to say anything?” wondered Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde. It was the day before the inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral, where she would bring …