Category Archives: Opinions
Letting go of hatred and unforgiveness
How much grace does it take to love our enemies? Well, that is a good question. Tragedies are happening all around us and it’s true we are very heart-broken and alarmed, but what if one day our 
family is harmed? I admit that I do not always have the character of Christ when I’m being threatened or provoked to anger. Many times, my first reaction is to retaliate because that’s a strong part of our human nature. I realize that people need to be punished for their
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Remembering the falls of other years
Vando Hendricks invented a machine that cracked and shelled pecans. He lived in Six Mile, but died a few years back. He was a clever and inventive man.
We used to go to Mrs. Stewart’s in Six Mile. Her front yard was full of giant pecan trees, and the ground would be littered with pecans every fall.
She was well into her nineties, but would often be found out in her yard each fall picking up pecans. She’d store them in her garage in bushel baskets and a wheelbarrow. And although she was a little hard of hearing, she could converse just fine.
She had wonderful stories about when her husband operated the cotton gin in Six Mile years ago and how
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Senses fade as we age
Ninety-four percent of us will lose one or more our senses as we get older. A company called Sodexo, a leader in quality of life services, did a study with the University of Ottawa to help 
those who work with seniors understand how we perceive the world as those senses wane, especially in the long-term care field.
The study results offered conclusions and help on topics such as:
Hearing — Most seniors over the age of 85 have hearing loss. Tips: Minimize sounds of heating and air conditioning systems, and provide a
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How we can fight the opioid epidemic together
South Carolina has a drug problem, and many elected leaders have begun looking at how best to deal with it. In August, I also took action. My office filed a lawsuit against a company for its 
role in creating that problem. This lawsuit is not a magical silver bullet that will end this epidemic, and the company being sued is not solely to blame for the crisis. However, when we look at the statistics and we read the stories, we are left with the inescapable conclusion that we must take action now.
In 2016, South Carolina ranked ninth in the nation in opioid prescribing rates. Since 2011, more than 3,000 South Carolinians have died from prescription opioid overdoses. In 2015, there were more deaths in South Carolina from taking prescription opioids or heroin than there were homicides. Between 2000 and 2013, the number of babies born addicted to opioids has quadrupled. There have been more opioid
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Courier Letters to the Editor 11-1-17
A phony moral stance
Dear Editor,
Isn’t it amazing all these pious Republicans demanding the sheriff of Greenville County resign because he lost the trust of the voters by having an affair?
What a bunch of hypocrites. The same holier-than-thou Republicans backed a man for
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The incident with the folding chair
Several years ago, Fowler gave me a gravity chair for Mother’s Day. It’ been a pleasure to use, as it really does relieve pressure on the lower back. I’ve tried to take good care of it. That 
means keeping the dogs off the chair as much as possible. For some obscure reason, they think it’s an ideal place to stretch out on.
Our boxer and boxer mix, Boomer and Little Red Dog, unfortunately, can’t lie down in the chair together. They’re just too big, but they still try to do so. This leads to less than restful chair time.
If I’m lying in it, the Chihuahua, Toby One Ka Doggy, insists on lying on top of me. From this perch, he can threaten Boomer and Little Red Dog.
That also isn’t restful.
Earlier this week, on a perfectly beautiful day when Boomer and Little Red Dog were occupied
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Courier Letters to the Editor 10-25-17
The choice is yours
Dear Editor,
Many of us, having lived in the United States our entire lives, often take our right to vote for granted. Voter turnout is incredibly low, and even some of those who do vote cast their vote 
blindly, based on rumors and misconceptions.
It is our duty as Americans to not only vote, but select the right leaders that will shape our nation’s future in a positive direction. We are responsible for who we select to lead. Too often, I see people decide who to vote for, or who not to vote for, based solely on misinformation, incomplete stories or outright lies found on the
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Are Alzheimer’s and dementia the same?
Dementia is an umbrella term for several types of diseases. Alzheimer’s disease is one type of dementia. Let me explain.
Dementia is a broad description that includes many different symptoms of general decline in 
mental ability. It must be severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by injury or loss of brain cells (neurons). Once brain cells are injured, they lose their ability to communicate with other cells, leading to dysfunction.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are a number of conditions that affect the brain and can be attributed to the category of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. Other causes for dementia include Lewy body
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Pin-Ups for Vets
It was with great irritation that I learned about a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital cancelling a previously scheduled visit from a group called Pin-Ups for Vets, without 
(apparently) doing its homework. After a hue and cry on the hospital’s website, it finally said yes, and the visit was on again.
Pin-Ups for Vets, a kitchen-table startup that has been quite successful in supporting veterans, was created in honor of a grandfather who served during World War II. Since 2007, the group has visited more than 60 military hospitals and 20 military bases (some overseas), and have been welcomed at each one. They donate funds for veteran programs, deliver care packages, support homeless veterans and military wives, make hospital visits (wearing their vintage dresses) and chat with the veterans,
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Water fountains and other matters
It’s an excellent idea to have public water fountains, because people often feel thirsty when running around the country. After conducting a careful survey and collecting data, it is time to produce a report. The facts in this water fountain report are somewhat accurate, or as some would say, partially correct.
First, not all water fountains are equal, although many of us think they should be.
The term equal refers to in this report the standard of cleanliness, height of the water flow, length of the flow, ease of operation, convenience of location and placement and height of the fountain itself. Also included in this report are quality and temperature of the water.
And although this last standard appears last in the list, this by no means indicates that the
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