Even though we’re already a couple weeks into 2025, I’m still feeling the heightened energy that surrounds a New Year.

My parents were teachers and both worked second jobs. Dad was a night manager at the Roses in Asheville and Mom spent evenings organizing and sorting Avon inventory, and this was in addition to our practices and other activities.

So here we are, days away from this pivotal election, and here’s a word of advice: take a deep breath, relax, and let the system play out as it’s intended, because we won’t know who our next president is until days after Nov. 5. 

Given the harrowing natural disasters in the South, I thought a good book to review this month would be one that might serve as a source of solace and peace to those who are currently struggling with these catastrophes.

To the Editor:

Beginning a new year during a cold winter, and an election year, I find myself soulful and introspective. 

To the Editor:

Why are Israeli warlords bombing children’s hospitals and killing hundreds of children and babies? 

I never pretend to be an expert on current events. In fact, I mostly avoid the news because so much of it is doom and gloom or the same old political rhetoric.

Waynesville’s Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center celebrated the International Day of Peace last week by installing a peace pole.

By Marsha Lee Baker • Guest Columnist

Somewhere, sometime, and in some way, each of us thinks about peace. We might not call it “peace,” but we think about it. We wonder where or what peace is with questions like “Why can’t we get along?” and “What is wrong with this family?” We sense peace each time we say, “What a wonderful time together!” and “I’ve never felt so whole in my life!”

My name is Susanna and I am terribly unorganized. 

I’m not a messy person or a hoarder, just disorganized. My desk is a mess of papers and sticky notes. I always have a million tabs open on my laptop. My closets and cabinets and pantry are full of stuff with no thought to rhyme or reason. I have to dig in my purse for three minutes to find lip balm. My shoes are thrown into the bottom of my closet so it takes inordinate amounts of time to find a matching pair. 

Home to some of the most important and sacred Judeo-Christian sites in the world, what should be a place of peace has instead seen almost ceaseless conflict since its incorporation in 1948.