Opinion

Body Dear Editor, More than 300,000 Missourians have spoken clearly: we want fair maps, not political power grabs paid for with our tax dollars. That’s nearly three times the number of signatures required by law to place a redistricting referendum on the ballot.

Body National Bubble Bath Day went unnoticed earlier this month, but its low-key celebration aligns well with the theme.

Body There are certain truths National Football League (NFL) fans grow comfortable with over time. One of them, at least in the Midwest, was the Kansas City Chiefs belonged in Missouri.

Body There are times when life feels slightly off-center. Nothing dramatic has happened and there is no single problem demanding attention, yet everything feels heavier than it should.

Body Some people truly enjoy cold weather and they are entitled to their opinion. However, for many others, myself included, the ongoing cold spell in Missouri feels less like a natural seasonal change and more like a disruption to everyday life.

Body Some people move through Christmas with an ease that feels almost unreal. The season starts and they seem to fall into it without hesitation, as if the decorating and planning and celebrating come with instructions the rest of us never received.

Body Some weeks move in a blur of responsibilities, long days and quiet pressure. You handle the things that must be done and keep going because that is what life expects from most of us. Work does not slow down when you need it to. Families do not pause their needs.

Body It starts with the sound of a crying baby. A woman’s voice trembles as she tells whoever answers the phone that her newborn hasn’t eaten since last night.

Body Family is the thread that stitches our lives into something meaningful even when those stitches aren’t always neat or perfect. If there’s anything this past year has taught me, it’s that time with the people we love is the most sacred currency we’ll ever hold.

Body After my dog Percy died earlier this year, the house turned quiet in a way that settled deep. Food bowls stayed lined against the wall, still clean, the couch cushion he claimed kept its dip for months and silence filled every corner once full of sound and movement.