Wellness

Happiness comes in music and friends.By Carrie VittitoeMarty Woelfel didn’t sing in a chorus in high school or college, although she did sing a bit with a church choir during her younger years. She would often become frustrated because bass parts were not written for women, and she would have to modulate her voice to sing a man’s part.Still, she loved music, so in 1983, Marty became a member of the Pride of Kentucky Chorus of Sweet Adelines International, where she continues to be involved today as a retiree. Singing with the group can be [...]

By Bob Mueller Once our physical needs are met, the basic desires of the mind and heart remain. Simple pleasures feed our essential selves: listening to music, being outdoors, seeing a beloved face at the door, laughing all the way, knowing we did our best work, wearing clothes softened by age, reading all day, watching a flight of wild geese, and breathing deeply. Such soul food has been at our fingertips all along.We overlook “ordinary joys” completely when we overextend our reach into the world of things. It’s time to use a paring knife to [...]

Changing for the better — addiction, failure, and then recovery.By Amanda BeamMeghan found her way into a new and better life after rising above addiction. Photos by Melissa Donald As her face lay pressed into the gravel, Meghan Adams watched the cars drive around the swarm of police cruisers blocking the Indiana road. In the distance, she heard a dog barking from one of the back seats.An officer pushed his knee into her back to secure her. The flash of a gun and demands for pills from a local pharmacy had placed her in this position. [...]