Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 8
MILL CREEK STORIES
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It's that time of year, and perhaps a time of need.
By MOLLY DUGGER BRENNAN
I
'm a columnist for a lovely magazine, the very one
you're holding right now. As a columnist, I see it as
my duty to observe the world, find the situations
that are all cattywampus, endearing, or just plain hilarious, and let you know about them. It's a service
I provide. You're awful busy living your lives and I
have a little free time on my hands, so it's really no
bother at all.
Lately though, the hilarious has been harder to find.
I've had to put myself on a "news diet" because listening
to daily reporting is getting painful. I know that screaming headlines sell ads but it feels like news reporting has
gone to a very dark place indeed. Is it the reporting or is
it the actual events that have taken this dramatic turn?
Honestly, I pray that it's the reporting but it's difficult to
tell anymore.
So I decided that this column, hitting the streets just in
time for the holidays, needed to be about gratitude. Not
just any garden-variety gratitude either. Not a platitude
that you'd find on any Hallmark card. No, this is deeply
personal. This is a stream of the things that give me hope,
the things for which I am truly thankful.
I am grateful for grandparents who, no matter how
exhausted they are or how much their joints hurt, show
their grandchildren enthusiastic love. Nobody gets out of
childhood with all that they need, but grandparents who
sing songs, walk, go fishing, and simply listen to the little
ones lay a foundation upon which so much can be built.
So, a heartfelt thank you to all the MeeMaws
and Pop Pops out there.
Along that same line, I am eternally grateful for all the teachers who spend their own
money and what's supposed to be their
spare time to make sure the children in their
classes are educated. You care so much. You
deserve a standing ovation at the end of every day you spend in the class room. I was
lucky enough to have had several teachers
who made a real difference in my life, propping me up when my confidence could not
be found, or motivating me when I was
That kind of "we're all in this
together" attitude feels as rare
as a Dodo bird these days and I
will always admire it.
8
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Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 5
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 6
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 7
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 8
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 10
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 12
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 13
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 14
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 16
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 18
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 22
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 34
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 38
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 42
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 48
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 51
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Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 54
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 57
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 58
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Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 60
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 62
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 64
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - 66
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2019 - Cover4
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