It’s wonderful to be positive-minded and appreciate that God is good all the time because He is! It’s common to seek the Lord for His protection and blessings as this usually takes up a majority of our prayer time, and it’s perfectly fine to do so. However, it’s also important to remember we…
I remember a costume party once several years ago, it was Halloween, of course. There was a crazy guy there, very tall, with wild hair and a frizzy beard, both dyed bright yellow, and he was d…
The older we are, the more we can see how the world has changed. The Bible reveals the human race fell from God’s favor when Adam and Eve decided to disobey God in the Garden. Since that separ…
It’s not about going back to the way things were. It’s about letting life bring you to something new.
Recently, I have been sorting through the closet in the room that was once my son’s nursery. I have been wanting to tackle this closet for a while, but it would have been too emotional to do b…
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Imagination looks to the future. Knowledge is a result of the past. You know what you have already experienced. You imagine what you want to happen next.
There are many reasons why some people are reluctant to get help for their mental health or addiction issues.
Dear Editor,
I hear teachers complain about not being treated as professionals, but as a parent I sometimes find their professionalism lacking. Don’t they have a responsibility to help their own cause?
Brain fitness, unlike certain kinds of physical fitness, does not require a personal trainer, a Pilates reformer, a jogging track, a mountain bike or a swimming pool. It does, however demand p…
Behold this lovely flower! Now it’s spring-glorious spring! ... and you can’t hardly go anywhere without seeing flowers. Lots of flowers.
Many readers of my book and column have asked the following questions regarding their own application of the concepts I write about. Here are the most commonly asked questions and my answers.
Brain fitness. Is it an oxymoron or a mantra? It depends on whether one’s brain is functioning cognitively, creatively and consistently. For some, brain fitness is taken for granted, that is u…
I know teachers leaving the profession is a problem, but my child’s principal at a suburban elementary school told me the problem is just as big with people not entering the profession. She sa…
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Are plants wimps?
Imagine you are swimming while holding a heavy anchor which is pulling you under water. What would you do? Of course you would let go of the anchor to keep from drowning. Maintaining your grip…
A USA Today article discussed students missing thousands of hours of school due to being suspended for minor things like putting their finger in someone’s hamburger. Does it make the case for …
When it comes to barbecue, many folks are passionate about it — like, super passionate.
We all know the feeling of having something on our minds that we have a difficult time letting go of. Similar to an image or a catchy song that gets stuck in our head, commonly called an earwo…
With the night time temperatures still very cool now it’s a good time get organics and preemergent products out in your yard if you have not already. I was talking to one of our commercial cus…
In 2000, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published a tongue-in-cheek article suggesting the characters of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne all suffer from mental illness. Pooh’s obsessi…
Living and working in Mount Pleasant has its perks, among them being a relatively low crime rate, especially as it relates to violent transgressions. However, one type of felony that continues…
There’s no question that kids are becoming more mentally unhealthy. A 2022 study published by the National Institute of Health found that 15 percent of kids ages 12-17 had a major depressive e…
Watch out for the weeds, both the annuals and the perennials! Even in Shakespeare’s time, as now, gardeners had to be vigilant, getting rid of the interlopers as soon as they appeared. Of cour…
Determination is an essential component of all accomplishments. Determination is the drive that keeps you going in spite of obstacles and adversity. Determination is your mental adrenaline. Wh…
There’s a boy at my son’s school who gets picked on. The school is aware, but it happens before school, recess, etc., where they can’t see it. My son notices it and wants to stand up for the b…
Moles are always a hot topic in the Lowcountry. I try to limit my writing about them to only once a year (or less – it has been two years); however, after walking through some neighborhoods an…
Although spring has sprung, it is still a bit cool on these Southern mornings. As a botanist, I understand that many of my colleagues, botanists, that is, have been suffering through bouts of …
The Human experience includes the standard requirement to choose right and wrong and has always been accountable when it comes to good and evil. Each of us has the free will to choose how we l…
In Jamie Lee Curtis’ book I’m Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem, a boy and a girl celebrate liking themselves no matter the circumstances. Their egos remain intact even when they…
My son was failing chemistry, so I requested a conference. The teacher told me all these things my son needed to do, but took no ownership herself for why he is doing poorly. Shouldn’t she acc…
Intimidation causes you to behave differently than you would normally. You don’t respect people who intimidate you. You resent them. You are afraid of the consequences should you defy their wi…
An odd thing happened to me recently. I was waiting to get my haircut when I began replying to a text from my mom. I had just started to voice dictate a response when my hairdresser finished u…
Dear Editor,
I hereby decree that spring has arrived, along with its fragrant wisterias, brilliant jessamine and charming crimson clover. Finally! And to celebrate, let me offer one of the most attractive …
Does it seem to you that a lot of the controversies in education (homework, grading, punishment, curricula) exist because people aren’t considering things from the student’s point of view and …
Dear Editor,
“Persistence can grind an iron beam down into a needle. Dripping water can pierce a stone.”
Picture yourself in Bavaria in the spring, in a friend’s back-yard, admiring the view of the Alps in the distance. Your host, showing you around, spots this little weed, and exclaims, “Schau m…
One of the many favorite things I enjoy in the springtime are the plants that flower before they grow leaves. Saucer Magnolia, Star Magnolia, Forsythia, Spirea, Dogwood, Redbud, Prunus (Cherry…
The South Carolina legislation is trying to put cursive back in schools. My son is in high school and still can’t sign his name in cursive, so I think this is good. But will it take away from …
Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. — Napoleon Hill
Years ago I worked in a department of five people and one day our director was replaced with someone new. The new leader of our team brought a small radio into our office and started playing s…
Dear Editor,
In Kevin Henkes book, Owen, his mom must convince him to surrender his blanket, a comfort item that is no longer age-appropriate, before he starts school. Her attempts are unsuccessful until s…
What can be done about a child who is an all-A student taking courses above her grade level yet despises school as “stupid, slow, and boring?” She considers herself to be not especially smart,…
There are two basic reasons why you should make — and eat — guacamole.
People avoid certain things for a variety of reasons. Fear is a significant cause of avoidance. It could be fear of failure, fear of criticism or fear of hurt. Difficulty is another reason peo…
Three months after my best friend in Charleston passed away, my birthday rolled around. I felt her loss in a particularly strong way that day, because she always spent our birthdays with us. S…
