Rich: The Belgian lace

Merri Grace was one of my best college friends. Together, we went everywhere.She lived on campus, but I was too poor for such grandeur. I lived at home and drove to school. It was much like high school except we could skip class without our mothers being notified.Merri Grace was the boss.

Yarbrough: If we’re not happy, can we just annex Finland?

Perhaps you are not familiar with the World Happiness Report that ranks countries on how happy their citizens are?

Letter to the Editor: Hoping for change in county-citizen exchanges

Dear Editor,Recently, I attended a Town Hall commission meeting where residents were to be introduced and educated about a planned development project near Harmony Road. This is the first Town Hall meeting that I have seen the commission hold in the five years I’ve lived in Putnam County.

Rich: The old hat

In my hands, I held the battered straw hat, holes torn in a couple of places. For a solid block of time, I studied it, having taken it down from the fireplace mantle.I choked up. It probably cost no more than a quarter, yet Oscar Cannon, no doubt, wore it for half a century or more.

Tocher: Canada is not a state

I’ve told many people before that I’m a true Son of the South; it just happens to be from Southern Ontario, about a hundred miles east of Toronto. I could see Lake Ontario from my bedroom window growing up as a proud Canadian while getting all my U.S. news and shows from TV stations in Rochester, N.

Benjamin-Smith: History and happiness are all around us

I have been wandering, wandering, wandering.The past few weeks have been exciting. Let me slow down and tell you about them. First, in February, we celebrated, celebrated, and celebrated because it was Black History Month. I celebrate each and every month.

Rich: A friend named Walt

Perhaps I’ll never forget the lilting sound of his beautiful Southern accent.I hope not. Right now, it’s ringing in my ears, forcing tears into my eyes. Walt Ehmer was one of the best friends I ever had. He possessed a quick wit that couldn’t be outrun.

Letter to the Editor: Honoring an Eatonton centenarian

Dear Editor, I am writing to The Eatonton Messenger to share information about a special event at Sips Coffee Cafe, which officially opened on March 1.

Letter to the Editor: Lane changer for Putnam development?

Dear Editor,I attended a recent County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, where the requirement that a residential developer construct a “passing” lane on Harmony Road was discussed.

Letter to the Editor: Appreciating Sylvia’s influence

Dear Editor,In this day and age, few are surprised by much of anything. However, if you look more closely at what is right in your own community, you just might be surprised.