This is Betty’s Christmas card for this year. It depicts what was a block of kiosks for local merchants here on St. Simons Island – a pet store, ice cream parlor, barber shop, jewelry store, hot dog stand and more. Recently the shops were relocated to make way for a museum of Western History and Culture, a project funded by Philip Anschutz, Denver billionaire and owner of the Sea Island resort. Locals hope that the museum will also address the rich local history and culture of coastal Georgia as well.
As you may have noticed, I have been AWOL from writing this month. Like many of you, I have simply gotten burned out by politics. After the 2020 presidential election, I wrote that our national nightmare was over. I was wrong. Infighting and vicious partisanship have metastasized to threaten our very identity as people and our long-held democratic traditions. Anger and contempt for others have become a virus far more dangerous than the ongoing Covid pandemic. I’ve also become disillusioned with my fellow Americans whom I stubbornly believe know better. I will continue to write but will do so sparingly about topics I hope we all might find interesting.
In the interim, I send my warmest holiday greetings to my longtime friends and to those of you whom I have met these past two years while writing these pages. To prosper and progress, we must embrace and genuinely respect one another regardless of our differences, prejudices, and social circles. There is no better time than the holidays to begin the journey.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas 🎄