I was sad to see Steve White's farewell column last week. I enjoyed his writing very much and looked forward to reading it.

But the life of a columnist is not an easy one. When I began writing Lifelines, back in 1978 (egads!), former editor Tom White gave me some precious advice.

He knew that I held some strong political views but warned me not to become Johnny One Note. It was important, he said, to mix it up a bit. Folks would tire of reading the same thing over and over.

As it turned out, my political views evolved over time. Nonetheless, they are still strongly held. As we grow and learn about life, our perspective often changes, and we begin to accept a broader, more tolerant stance. At any rate, Tom advised me to mix up my topics, and not to just write about the same thing over and over, which considering the current inept occupant of the White House, I am happy to do.

One of the things I most enjoy sharing in this column are the trips I have taken. Sadly, with the pandemic, we've had to cancel them, but once we are able to travel again, I look forward to taking you along with me once more.

Another pearl of wisdom from Tom was not to miss a week. He emphasized the importance of always being there, and faithfully having a column in the paper. Except for a few rough patches when my editors have kindly reached into the archives, I have lived up to this mandate. There are days when I sit at my keyboard and wonder what my column will look like, but something usually falls out of my brain and we're off.

For inspiration, I need look no further than the left bottom corner of this page, where my beloved grandmother Nellie Catherine Stevens Stabbert Persbacker's column “While the Kettle Boils” has appeared for over 80 years. It has to be one of the longest-running columns in journalism.

Of course, it is now called “The Best of Nellie,” but her writing still holds up and offers us wisdom in these troubling times. Remember, she lived through two world wars and a Depression. I can't imagine what it must have been like bringing up a family during those times.

Her column gives us a look into that world and is a valuable primary document and source of inspiration.

The long and the short of it is that Lifelines has become part of what I do every week. Over the years, I've found that some columns write themselves and others have to be drawn, kicking and screaming, out of my brain and into my computer. That's one of the beautiful mysteries of writing. You sit down, start typing, and see where it takes you.

Good luck to Steve White. His is an important voice in our county and country, and I hope to hear more from him soon.