Sharon Kennedy

December has no idea we are leaving it behind as we face a new month and hope the new year will bring better tidings than the old one.

It is humankind who kicks out the old and rings in the new. December has no idea we are leaving it behind as we face a new month and hope the new year will bring better tidings than the old one. We mortals love parties. We'll celebrate just about anything, anytime, anywhere. Fetes take us out of our troubles and provide a temporary escape from reality. New Year's Eve parties are probably the most boisterous of all, especially if the year that's passing has been tumultuous.

Anyway, the years passed as they often do, and I gave up making resolutions. If we truly want to ditch a bad habit or overcome a personality flaw, we don't have to wait until the first of January. We can start anytime. Other than county fairs, August is a dull month. We could liven it up by making resolutions. If we're serious, there's no point in waiting for the beginning of a new year to change our old ways. One month is as good or bad as the next, so I vote for the one symbolizing the end of summer. Join me in this bit of fun and resolve to begin making resolutions before autumn. Any takers? No, I didn't think so. That would be bucking tradition.

It wasn’t until I began writing for my local newspaper that I realized the importance of my classes in humanities, literature and Greek mythology.

Sharon Kennedy | Community Columnist In the days following Easter Sunday, my siblings and I were not in a hurry to put away our Easter baskets.

At the tender age of 10, I learned that people are always coming and going into and out of our lives. Two months before my 11th birthday, my best friend moved from our side road. Her father was a civilian employee at the Kincheloe Air Force Base. He was reassigned to Milwaukee, Wis. That move signaled the end of our friendship. Lorraine and I had known each other since we were toddlers. At times we had argued over which was better — playing with the dolls I loved or riding her horse, Star. Lorraine hated dolls. I was terrified of horses. Somehow we negotiated a shaky truce that lasted throughout our childhood.

I will say that candy and flowers are always welcome but a visit from you would have meant more to your mother than anything you could buy.

We all have days when things don't go our way, and our intake of salt is greater than our sugar intake. Stuff happens to everyone. Some challenges are greater than others, but nobody escapes them. Take yesterday, for example. I kept thinking about how good a double scoop of ice cream would taste. I argued with myself for a couple of hours until I was convinced it was just what I needed to keep the blues at bay.

Although I was tempted to call the city and inquire if any plots were still available, I nixed the idea. My gardening days are over. For many years I planted, weeded and watered vegetables and flowers in my front and back yards. I enjoyed everything involved in growing gardens, but those days are gone. I think it's wonderful that the Soo offers a dedicated space for people who want to grow their own vegetables. Every time I walk along the canal, it will be interesting to watch the progress of plants and to stop for a moment and chat with the gardeners.

I think it’s wonderful that the Soo offers a dedicated space for people who want to grow their own vegetables.