My college literature professor, Sister M. Lucilla, taught me how to appreciate words and how and when to use them properly. She would be quite upset about what has recently happened to the use of words in our new media contacts, and I am upset about how a word or words can set off anger, opinion, and even war in these volatile times. Since I am a writer, words are very important to me, and I try to use them to heal our broken world rather than to cause further wounds and suffering.

It’s that time of year again to make some resolutions that will carry you through the joys and sorrows, celebrations and challenges, as well as the ordinary and extraordinary times ahead in this new year. I would suggest that you include prayer in your attempts to get through daily life as peaceably as possible. Let’s face it, each day brings with it any number of experiences that could be helped along by a prayer or two or, as Glenn Byer suggests, thinking of prayer as a state of being. Perhaps that could be your resolution this year. Begin to think and act toward life’s situations from an inner sense of yourself—a state of being. Try it; you might like it.

The winter season is here, and the holidays are behind us. For many of us, the holiday season was full of events, parties, and fellowship, but many elders in our community may not have experienced the same joys during the holiday season.

It’s every homeowner’s nightmare: A small fire starts in the kitchen and quickly grows out of control, or a candle’s flame ignites a lampshade, spreads to the window curtains, and consumes the home in the blink of an eye. With so many combustible materials in the average household, fire is an ever-present danger.

With another cold Northwest Ohio winter just getting started, it’s hard for area gardeners to imagine they’ll ever get their hands back in workable soil. But this downtime can be put to good use planning any changes you’d like to make in your garden and landscape this coming spring. The cold of winter is the perfect time for gardeners to dream, scheme, and determine whether their outdoor spaces are planted to their best advantage or not.

Old Man Winter’s arrival is good news for skiers, sledders, snowmobilers, and children hoping for snow days to liberate them from school, but it’s not such good news for the local bird population.

Shirley and I with a half dozen friends were having dinner and listening to the music of the Kurtz Brothers at Sandy Ridge Vineyards in Norwalk. Both the meal and the music were excellent. Our friends were curious about our travel plans. (Or said they were just to be polite.) When we confessed a desire to see Alaska yet again, it generated some curiosity about how long it takes to drive “all that way.”

“This year I will lose those last 15 pounds!” “I promise to be a better spouse and parent!” “2020 is the year I am finally going to get organized!”

Are you someone who sets New Year’s resolutions? Researchers say at least 50 percent of those who set resolutions at the beginning of the year will fail before February is even over. Even more sobering, some research suggests that only 8 percent of people are still going strong with their resolutions by March. What is it that makes resolutions so hard to stick to? And what can we do to increase our chances for successfully reaching our goals and achieving self-improvement?

One month almost down and eleven more to go! Is keeping that New Year’s resolution harder than you thought? If your resolution entailed improving your general health by exercising and you already feel you are on the downhill stretch, follow these easy uplifting tips.

Safely operating a motor vehicle in wintry weather is a challenge for drivers of all ages. For seniors, the hazards of winter driving can be compounded further by a variety of issues such as decreased reaction time, reduced mobility, and other age-related health concerns. However, with a little extra planning, preparation, and caution, senior motorists—and younger drivers alike—can commute with confidence this winter. Here are some timely tips that will help drivers stay safe behind the wheel when winter weather makes driving dangerous: