Thursday, December 27, 2012
Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | New Photo Gallery
|
|
||
|
Thursday, December 27, 2012 |
||
|
Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | New Photo Gallery |
|
|
Close to Nowhere ‘World Peace’ revisited With grim news the world over, I went looking back at my old columns to see if I could find a “happier” one. I found this one (Dec. 21, 2006) and everyone in this column is home and doing well. That thought made me happy. So, here we go, again... • I’ve gotten several Christmas cards lately from friends who have family members serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan. They all say the same thing — “please pray for our loved one.” A former neighbor, who moved to Pennsylvania, has a son in the Marines who has already served one tour of duty in Iraq. Ben is leaving in January for a second tour. Needless to say, his mother is not a happy camper (his dad is worse). We’ve known Ben since he was a small, chubby little boy. He’s now a tall, muscular Marine — towering over his dad. Our son’s best friend Chad has recently returned from Iraq. Chad spent many a day and night at our house while they were growing up and none of us enjoyed worrying about him over there. Last week, a man who has quickly become a friend, dropped by the office. I was somewhat surprised to see him, mostly because I thought he was in Afghanistan at the moment. Calvin James is serving with the U.S. military in Afghanistan — as soon as he’s out of the service, he and his family are moving back home to Holly Springs. (2012 side note: James and his family are now residents and he’s serving as an alderman for the city.) Calvin just dropped in to say “Hello” and bring me “a little something” from Qatar, near the Persian Gulf. I spent a good bit of Tuesday afternoon looking up Qatar, the Sea of Galilee (I have a photo of Calvin standing in the hills about the Sea of Galilee) and Afghanistan, on Google, with our news writer Sue Watson and Rev. Milton Winter standing by and advising. I was surprised to find out that Qatar is one of the richest countries in that oil-rich area. There is no poverty level and over 70 percent of the population is at least on the millionaire level. Qatar has five airports, however, only three of them have paved runways. It is, to all appearances, a peaceful, small, extremely wealthy and well-run country. I wish Ben and Calvin were stationed in Qatar instead of Iraq and Afghanistan! Calvin brought me an exquisite set of tiny stone cups and a small stone pitcher — absolutely, stunningly beautiful! This Christmas, I wish I could give him, Ben, Robert, etc. a gift — world peace sounds so trite, but wouldn’t it be wonderful? |
    
|
Report
News: (662) 252-4261 or southreporter@dixie-net.com
Fax: (662) 252-3388
Questions, comments, corrections: southreporter@dixie-net.com
The South Reporter
P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
©2004,
The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.
Web
Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter
