Stories by Debra Hale-Shelton

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Georgia plays a starring role Georgia, you've been on my mind. Thank you for standing up to incompetence and corruption, for voting your beliefs, and for not boycotting the U.S. Senate runoffs as two prominent Republican attorney... January 10, 2021

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A letter of love from daughter to dad Dear Daddy, So many times in the past 16 months I've wanted to give you a call and tell you the latest. You were always good to write letters when I lived far from home. Now it's my turn. I know the ... January 3, 2021

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Praise for what went well in 2020 If you believe 2020 has been tough, allow me to point out a few overlooked blessings the year has given us. First, as I write this, we still have a democracy in this country. I used to take that fact... December 27, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: An end in sight for hypocrisy and cruelty I'm old enough to remember when it mattered if presidents lied, when they didn't cozy up to dictators, and when they tried to hide their illicit affairs and certainly didn't brag about them. Those of... December 6, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A household member moves on I recently said goodbye to a longtime part of my family and hello to a new member. I drove my white 2001 Chevy Lumina for the last time a week ago today as I headed to a grocery store across town. A ... November 29, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A democracy on the edge I’m afraid, and I don’t scare easily. When I worked for The Associated Press in Chicago, I walked home from work many nights hours before sunrise. While reporting on a child’s death, I walked alone in... November 15, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Novelists aren't writing news stories I never wanted to be a reporter. I wanted to be a writer. Specifically, I wanted to write a novel. But even at age 17, as I was deciding on a college major, I knew I couldn't support myself by writin... November 1, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Recalling the past in print The older I get, the more I have to remember and, all too often, forget. It’s easy to remember the things that make us happy, like my 16th birthday celebrated at a skating rink in Marked Tree. I had... October 25, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Silence the hate all around us It’s not even 9:30 p.m., and I want to sleep, for a long time and without interruption. That means no phone calls, no texts, no thunder, no doorbells, no crazy barking exchanges between my dog and th... October 4, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Worries in the middle of the night I’m losing my hair and my hope. And one has nothing to do with the other. Between renewed health problems that date to my teenage years and a deadly, politicized pandemic, I am juggling emotions that... September 6, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A long, loving journey to parenthood Not long ago, on July 23 to be exact, we took our daughter Annie out to eat to celebrate Forever Day, the anniversary of the day we adopted her in China in 2002. Her dad and I are separated. But we b... August 30, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Wisdom and grace from Mr. Rogers When she was little, my daughter enjoyed watching television programs like "Caillou," "Dragon Tales" and "Sesame Street." She liked "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" too, and so did I, for the PBS program... August 23, 2020

OPINION | DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Our innocence, interrupted by fear When I was a little girl, I lived in a green house on Union Street. It had two bedrooms and one bathroom. Life was good, even fun. We had a sidewalk long before anyone had heard of walkable cities. W... August 16, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: The price we're about to pay I think of the "good old days" a lot these days. Maybe that's because I'm getting older. I'm retired now, my daughter returns to college soon, and I have more time to think--not always a good thing i... August 9, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Consider the source of prophecies Am I the only person who questions the authenticity of a man named Peter Popoff, or, for that matter, other famous people who prophesy magical events in the 21st century? As if Popoff’s name wasn’t e... August 2, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: The sneaky complexity of simple things When I was a child, little girls made mud pies and ate candy cigarettes. We also played jacks, hula hooped and worried that Russia was going to bomb us. When I was a teenager, young ladies ate Jell-O... July 26, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A time for unified resistance I was visiting my mother when I heard a familiar voice coming from the television. I looked up, and that's when I saw the familiar expressive hands and the familiar sometimes expressive hair as it blo... July 19, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Considering possibilities of what's to come A reader suggested I focus on what's ahead in my life rather than the past to boost my spirits. If I were 40, even 50, that might work. At my age, I'm not so sure. But I'll give it a try. Here are a ... July 12, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Weighing in on self-judgment I was Facebook surfing when I noticed this post. "You meet your 16-year-old self. You are allowed to say three words. What do you say?" I knew immediately. "You're not fat," I replied. And I wasn't.... July 5, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Taking steps to rebuild a garden He's going to cut down my crape myrtle. It's the one that rises above the roof at the house where I lived until recently. Its flowers are pink, and its bark is as beautiful as any I've ever seen, lik... June 28, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Challenges loom beyond expectations The first time I read J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, I was a college freshman. I liked the novel, though its language and tone were like no other book I'd ever read. I liked Holden Caulfield... June 21, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: What it takes to make a mother June 6 was my first time to dine inside a restaurant since the coronavirus hit this country so hard. I remember the date because it was Mama's 90th birthday, and our small family had gathered to cele... June 14, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: From disasters come scenes of hope I am a believer--in God, the Bible, prayer, and the basic humanity of most people. I am a believer--in sin, hypocrisy, hate, and the worst of humanity. I've seen both--as a journalist, teacher, mothe... June 7, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Shameless leader deserves no respect Why would anyone ridicule others for wearing protective masks that could help prevent people from spreading the deadly coronavirus to others? The answer is simple: The ridiculer has no shame and has t... May 31, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Getting to know Slick His name was Robert Sylvane Smith. His family called him Slick; his girlfriend called him Bob; the Marines called him PFC, then Corporal, and finally Sergeant. Born May 20, 1920, Slick died during Wor... May 24, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Embracing the sweetness of seasonings Mama always said I was "made of sugar and spice and everything nice." I have no reason to doubt her words. After all, I ate a lot of egg custard when I'd visit Nana's and Papa's, my grandparents who l... May 17, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: What matters most, and what doesn't The older I get, the easier it is for me to say thank you ... and no, thank you. Here are a few things I'm grateful for: • Newspaper readers while I wrote, first for The Associated Press and lat... May 10, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Why some of us don't smile much My maternal grandmother, Annie Lee Smith, was a tiny woman who began each morning kneading biscuit dough, frying bacon or sausage, and seemingly enjoying breakfast at her kitchen table. I had no idea ... May 3, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: What we think we know In an age when we have access to the truth at our fingertips, it seems that an increasingly vocal number of Americans buy into misconceptions about important issues. These span everything from health ... April 26, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Old enough to remember I'm old enough to remember a time when life was simpler, if not better. • For most of my life, there was no such thing as texting while driving because most Americans didn't own cell phones unti... April 19, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A lineup of escape mechanisms Here are a few ways to stay busy, or at least pleasantly distracted, during the covid-19 pandemic and the resulting need for social distancing. The list is especially useful if, like me, you are semi-... April 12, 2020

Solitude, in its present form, is overrated I've not heard anyone preaching the joys of solitude lately. As I write this, it is Tuesday, the day before April Fool's Day, a time in our lives far worse than a practical joke, an era when a deadly ... April 5, 2020

Dreams of a guilty child When I was a child--maybe 8 or 9 years old--I had a nightmare, one I've never forgotten. Unlike authors Stephen King and Mary Shelley, I rarely remember my dreams well enough to write about them. I wi... March 29, 2020

The best writing about cooking I'm a bookaholic. I collect books, especially cookbooks, old and new, small and large, some personally autographed, others bought at yard sales or bookstores. I either read, plan to read or just brows... March 22, 2020

Blurring the edges between life and death Sometimes the hardest memories are the most important ones, for time has an uncanny way of putting life and death in perspective. In the present, there is no cushion of time between celebration and eu... March 15, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Seemingly self-made widow Anne Throneberry was like no other widow I had ever met. Her long blonde hair was braided, and she was dressed like a cowgirl in blue denim and brown boots when she took the witness stand. At 48, Thro... March 1, 2020

Hospital stay allows time to reflect A few of you have asked about my heart surgery; actually surgeries--plural--since I had two in about a week's time. I'm doing well and am staying in a rehabilitation center before I go home. The first... February 23, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Family functions and dysfunctions I have a problem. Well, a few problems. One is that I don't wear my hearing aids as often as I should. Another is that my sister-in-law, Andrea, and I are destined to clash, even though we try really ... February 16, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Questions that needed answers I leaned back in the comfortable chair, looked out the window, and silently admired the leafless sweetgum tree. The scene reminded me of the opening in Christmas in Connecticut except it wasn't Christ... February 9, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Making resolutions for others I considered writing about my new year's resolutions, but one of them was to quit running late. Then I realized this column wouldn't appear until almost three weeks after New Year's Day. So it might b... January 19, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A long journey to parenthood "Zhou Jing Ping," the woman announced as another woman walked into the large room and placed a little girl in my open arms. The black-haired toddler was 15 1/2 months old. Three other babies cried, bu... January 12, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Remembering time at the head of the class Once upon a time I was a teacher. The experience was no fairy tale. I was neither the best nor worst of teachers. Like most I knew then and now, I simply tried to do my best, though it wasn't always s... January 5, 2020

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Reporting on politicians' sex escapades I was thinking about the most fun stories I've ever covered or read from afar--not necessarily the biggest, but the ones that still make me smile or laugh even when I probably shouldn't. Politicians' ... December 29, 2019

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Taking control where there is none Anyone who knows me well knows that I tend to be on the hyper side. Lately, though, life has zoomed out of control, and so have I. First, the usual adjustments followed my retirement in July--chiefly ... December 22, 2019

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Losing a battle of wills with GPS To My Not-So-Dear GPS: I trusted you, and what did you show me? The wrong direction, over and over again. Do not abandon me, you say? You'll do better next time, you profess? Then tell me why you decl... December 15, 2019

Fond memories of family feasts We had a tasty but quiet Thanksgiving this year. Five of us from three generations, from my 89-year-old mother to my 18-year-old daughter, sat around a table at a small restaurant outside Conway. We h... December 8, 2019

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: The inevitability of mistakes Anyone working in journalism for as long as I have is bound to have a few mistakes that made their editors' eyes roll. The good news is that such journalists can also probably recall a few stories tha... December 1, 2019

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: When death dominates the news I began reporting the news and, hence, death before I could vote or had my first taste of alcohol. Aside from the high school newspaper, my first byline appeared in my hometown weekly, the now-defunct... November 24, 2019

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: Getting a late start I'm always running late whether for marriage, motherhood or appointments. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that I was late to dating. I didn't have a single date in high school and only two in college.... November 17, 2019

DEBRA HALE-SHELTON: A road trip in the right direction I was at work when the phone rang. The caller was my daughter Annie, then nearing her 14th birthday. She sobbed loudly. "Annie, what's wrong?" "Zayn," she cried. I could barely understand her words am... November 10, 2019