"If you know something's going to work, it's not worth working on. It requires no courage. It requires no faith. It requires no skin in the game…. The unknown is the foundry where you forge your chips. Everything important is uncertain. Sitting with the discomfort of that uncertainty is the hard part, the wedge that can move the world." – Eliot Pep...
"You can go to hell without moving an inch, just focus on what you lack. You can taste heaven without leaving Earth, just rejoice in what you have." -James ClearWith Thanksgiving on November 28, the start of the holiday season will commence, which is an exciting time for many, a stressful time for some, and a depressing time for others. Lots of us ...
I've always thought that how the trees' leaves become their most colorful and beautiful later in their lifespans is like how humans seem to be the most colorful, wise, and candid versions of themselves in their golden years. By the time we reach the age of retirement, senior citizen discounts, and AARP membership cards, we're more knowledgeable tha...
As the official first day of autumn approaches (September 22), many longtime Cherokee County residents begin to look forward to the cooler temps as well as one of the area's most beloved fall fundraising events — the Riverfest Arts and Crafts Festival, which will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year! Be sure to check out page 20-21 for a b...
This month, Woodstock Family Life begins its 12th year of providing positive, educational, and entertaining content about interesting topics in our community, contributed by local experts and creatives. So, we want to take this opportunity to thank our loyal readers and our advertisers who make it possible for us to deliver our complimentary magazi...
As we wrap up the final issue of volume 11 of Woodstock Family Life and prepare to celebrate our nation's independence on July 4 with fabulous fireworks displays and fun activities (check out our Events Calendar on pages 6-8 to make plans for the big day!), many of us are also getting our children ready to return to school next month, so be sure to...
Since the kids are out of school and the first official day of summer is June 20, here's hoping we all have a little more free time and motivation to get outside and enjoy active pursuits that get us moving, as well as meals that are lighter and more wholesome — especially now that we have access to fresh veggies from local farmers markets or our b...
Every day, each of us must make multiple decisions that affect various parts of our lives and/or the lives of others. For instance, this month, our staff had to choose the best short story to publish out of dozens of worthy submissions from local creative writers for our annual Short Story Contest (see pages 26-27 to read the winning story!). We ma...
On a perfect day, I know that I can count on youWhen that's not possibleTell me, can you weather the storm?If you're a fan of '80s and '90s R&B music, you probably recognize the above lyrics, which were made famous in a song first recorded by New Edition in 1988 and again by Boys II Men in 1997. And since most of us have heard the saying, "Apri...
Forward MARCH! This month brings us daylight savings time on March 10, St. Patrick's Day on March 17, Easter on March 31, and the anxiously awaited first day of spring on March 19. Except for the infamous "pollening" that happens in Georgia at this time of year, which is never fun for allergy sufferers, most of us welcome the sight of budding trees...
When most of us consider "traveling light," it's likely our first thought is about packing only the most essential things we'll need for an upcoming trip. So, if we're planning to backpack through Europe with only what we can comfortably carry each day, we'll probably pack just one or two changes of clothing, a few basic toiletries, first aid items...
Happy New Year! Are you someone who makes resolutions? While I'm all for people doing whatever they need to do to motivate themselves to make positive strides in their lives, statistically, "on average, only 9-12% of people keep their New Year's resolutions," and "the biggest reason people don't keep their resolutions is that they set unrealistic g...
I fondly remember Christmases of my childhood when my parents, brother, and sisters would gather at Grandma and Grandaddy's house with my dad's side of the family on Christmas Eve, wake up at home on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought, and then spend Christmas afternoon at my other grandparents' house with my mom's side of the family. Afte...
Thankful — Conscious of benefits received.Grateful — Appreciative of benefits received.The above definitions are from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus. Though people often use these words interchangeably, I think it's important to note the difference. To be conscious of something means we acknowledge it, but perhaps it doesn't always m...
Ahhhh, October — colorful leaves, pumpkin-flavored everything, fall festivals, and Halloween. This month is usually when we have a smattering of days that the temperature drops below 60, interspersed with those that still reach 80-90 degrees. We never really know what we're going to get when it comes to October weather in Georgia. Sometimes, we get...
"Ba-dee-ya, say do you remember, ba-dee-ya, dancing in September, ba-dee-ya, never was a cloudy day!" I hope you sang those popular Earth Wind & Fire lyrics in your head (even better if you sang them out loud!). September brings the official first day of autumn (9/23), so we can look forward to cooler temps, fall holidays and festivities, and t...
Recently, a close friend of mine lost her father to cancer. Though I've lost both my parents, I didn't want to diminish the gravity of her grief by equating it to my own experiences. I know all too well that everyone grieves differently. I wanted to comfort her, but I just didn't quite know how to reach her when she was in such a sad place.Oftentim...