Fight stress before it kills you

Stress has known to be the leading cause of premature deaths.  There are some, or many of us, who lead incredibly stressful lives, – whether it be issues at home or stress from demanding jobs – and because of that stress, it can lead to an early grave.

Brothers served country well

Many American families sent sons and daughters into war over the years, but there is one Graham County family that sent five sons into combat. John and Maude Wiggins Riddle first sent four of their sons into World War II.   Clyde Nelson Riddle served as a PFC in the U.S.

Gracious winning, gracious losing

Writing this week’s column presents a real challenge.  Timing is everything. The election voting will be over before The Graham Star appears.  The election itself may not be over for weeks. The Supreme Court did not decide Bush v. Gore until Dec. 12, 2000.

‘Tis a great time to be thankful

My granddaughter Abbie telephoned while I was waiting for my wife in a parking lot.  Husbands do a lot of that. “Have you ever heard of Ben Rector?” Abbie asked at the end of our conversation. “Yes, I think you mentioned him before,” I said. “Well, I’m going to send you a song he sings.

Thank you custodians!

When I was a child, most of the custodians at the old Rock School were older men who had wore themselves out working in the textile mills. They were friendly, helpful and we looked up to them.  I remember one giving me a compliment for something I said. That meant a lot to me.

Remain calm; the storm is almost over

There are just a few days until the most amazing and costly Presidential election in modern American history is over.  That should be good news to all voters, regardless of political leaning.

A common vision breeds unity

“United we stand, divided we fall.”   “We’re more divided than ever.”   “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”  The refrain goes on and on.  We keep hearing of divisions, but hearing no way back to unity.  It is undeniable that there is strength in unity.

Lots to explore; get in the woods!

If someone has told you to take a hike recently, heed their advice.  Hoot Gibbs and I have recently worked on clearing downed trees and brush from the Yellow Creek Falls Trail – 3/10 of a mile – and Yellow Creek Mountain Trail from Old Field Gap Road to Meadow Branch Road and U.S. 129, 1.8 miles.

Lose weight properly

Everyone wants to lose weight, even a person who’s not really that heavy maybe because of the extra belly fat that makes the individual too conscious about it. However, one may not do it correctly due to unhealthy lifestyle leading to further health problems while reducing some weight.

Much to learn from Plymouth landing

In a few weeks, it will be the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims landing in Plymouth, Mass.  They disembarked from the Mayflower near a big boulder that became the legendary Plymouth Rock.  Over the years, souvenir hunters chipped away at the rock.