Be purposeful and feed the good wolf
There is a Cherokee legend where an elder tells his grandson a story about two wolves. It goes something like…
Read More
‘Nought may endure but mutability’
My brain was working overtime this morning, and I woke a little before 5 a.m. That was it, couldn’t get…
Read More
Life lessons learned while shopping
One can learn a lot by shopping at Trader Joe’s, and I’m not talking about the difference between tofu and…
Read More
Why Hantavirus outbreak deserves our attention
First, let me say that for many reasons, those with experience with Hantavirus outbreaks feel at this time that it…
Read More
Lady, you just made my day
A nagging albeit minor plumbing issue on our 46-year-old Canadian-made sailboat, Tranquilo, sent me to Mitchell’s Hardware in downtown New Bern.…
Read More
This is not what Waynesville needs
Editor’s note As Tony Dillard notes in this guest column, we’ve printed two other opinion pieces over the last two…
Read More
Growth is inevitable, how we grow is a choice
I appreciate my colleague taking the time to explain his vote (“Why I voted to annex Queen’s Farm,” April 22 SMN)…
Read More
Moving up the scale toward enlightenment
The older and wiser I become, the more I appreciate people who vibrate at a high frequency, not because they…
Read More
Why I Voted to Annex Queen’s Farm
On April 14, the Waynesville Town Council voted 4-1 to annex the Queen’s Farm/Valleywood Farms Phase 2 property into the…
Read More
All in order in this corner of my world
The hammer felt good in my hands, satisfying and simple, the battered leather tool belt snug but still doing its…
Read More
A vanilla, sparrow-only life would be devastating
Imagine walking into an ice cream shop excited about the many flavor selections, only to be greeted by a clerk…
Read More
The endgame was always just to blow things up
The war with Iran is not only a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency and the MAGA movement in general, but…
Read More
Facts must come before explanations
Who is to blame for North Carolina losing its industrial base over the past two decades? Misguided federal lawmakers who…
Read More
Let’s stop asking kids what they want to be
When I was young, there were a handful of future professions that my friends and I aspired to be —…
Read More
The bar is low, but Trump slithers under it
They may be coming for just the signs, but the message is clear: let’s rewrite history while ignoring science. The…
Read More
Never discount the power of awe
I now realize why coloring books and sidewalk chalk were so appealing when I was a child, why watching snow fall…
Read More
The 7th Crusade—US Folly in Iran
The United States has once again plunged into a war convinced that righteous purpose, overwhelming force and moral certainty will…
Read More
An ode to Folkmoot and to Rolf
I was in New Zealand when Rolf Kaufman passed away a couple of weeks ago. The Folkmoot international dance festival that…
Read More
Taking out tyrants this way can’t be celebrated
The United States cannot keep breaking the rules of international law and then congratulate itself for the results. That is…
Read More
What trees will you plant?
This past Sunday at church, someone quoted the old Greek proverb, “A society grows great when old men plant trees…
Read More
It’s out there, you just gotta look
I never got his name, but the New Zealander who had offered to fix one of my fellow traveler’s bicycles seemingly…
Read More
Some pre-Lent thoughts: fasting and feasting
Some people eat to live, and others live to eat. I fall into the latter camp, which is why I’ve…
Read More
You can’t un-melt the melting pot
Growing up, watching Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Universe were exciting times in our house. My sister and I…
Read More
‘A civilization to be proud of …’
“Here’s why the original neocon thinkers — people such as Irving Kristol, James Q. Wilson, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and Daniel Patrick…
Read More
A great leader grows roots, not weeds
EvenAfterAll this timeThe sun never says to the earth,“You owe me.” LookWhat happensWith a love like that,It lights theWholeSky. This poem…
Read More
The sad reality of a post-truth country
The first thing is to tame the rage so that you do not live in it all the time. Or…
Read More
Maybe what Americans need is a hot beverage
A steaming beverage and good conversation mend most worries and heartaches, or at the least, lighten the emotional burden. Every fall…
Read More
Something about those black bears
We love our bears here in the Smokies. It’s estimated there are around 15,000 in the four-state area surrounding the…
Read More
A new type of energy for 2026
I was once a real sucker for the New Year’s Eve hoopla — toasting with champagne and making grandiose resolutions, but…
Read More
Don’t expect better results with same choices
Western North Carolina is a region defined by resilience. Mountain communities have endured floods, factory closures, rising housing costs and…
Read More
Administration puts military in a tough spot
Recent events make it clear why senators warning military personnel about the dangers of following illegal orders was so very…
Read More
The brazen closing of WCU’s voting site
The utter guile of this state’s GOP leaders to rig elections in their favor should cause a hue and cry…
Read More
Advent: A different take on the holiday season
In late fall, after all the Halloween candy has been consumed and the fall décor removed from store clearance aisles,…
Read More
The oath that guards our republic
In the cacophony of politics, one truth must remain clear: America’s armed forces swear allegiance not to a man, not…
Read More
Forest bathing: slow down and immerse yourself
Count me among those who are proud that Jackson County has two fully accessible certified forest therapy trails, two of…
Read More
Cherishing memories of the old ways
It was a Friday afternoon a few weeks ago, and I was chafing. Perhaps you saw me. I was that…
Read More
Social connection is a lifesaver
What’s the point of human existence if we’re not part of something bigger than ourselves? Our need for connection is…
Read More
Moves to silence the press are concerning
To the Editor: I write as a concerned citizen of Western North Carolina to draw attention to the growing encroachment…
Read More
Food is the ultimate tie that binds
About a month ago, my neighbor sent a text asking if I wanted some of her fresh basil which was…
Read More
The unlawful use of force
The recent history of international relations is fraught with examples where the sanctity of law has been compromised for political…
Read More
Ancient wisdom prevails over modern bravado
If you’ve never been exposed to Daoism (commonly known as Taoism), now may be the time to intentionally engage with…
Read More
A call to action in WNC
October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), a time to raise our collective consciousness about family violence in our community…
Read More
Ten minutes with Rep. Edwards is very revealing
To the Editor: Last week I met with the Rep. Chuck Edwards of the N.C. 11th District for a short…
Read More
Don’t be fooled by force, be fueled by power
Force is not the same as power. Jesus exuded power. Nelson Mandela exuded power. Mother Theresa exuded power. Our current…
Read More
Dictators love to blame ‘The Boogeyman’
President Donald Trump recently cast the Democrats as “the party of hate, evil, and Satan.” This incendiary language serves a…
Read More
How being authentic can unite us
There for a minute, the world-at-large and its illusion of doom almost forced me into a chrysalis. I was on…
Read More
Despite tepid D.C. response, the work goes on
It was a time and a place, and now that place is gone. Or is it? I came across some…
Read More
To move forward, we must look back
Last September, my family was gearing up for our first “leaf season” (and apple season, and hayride season, and football…
Read More
A love letter to friends across the aisle
Dear friend, We are living in tumultuous times, and I’m writing to say I am sorry. I know I’ve done…
Read More
‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will be ugly for Jackson County
To the Editor: Last week at the Jackson County commission meeting, we heard some truly disturbing news about the ways…
Read More
