“It seems ridiculous to feel sad over a chain restaurant leaving town. But for me, it’s as much about the memories as it is the chicken tenders. Because when it comes to meals regularly eaten in community, it’s hard to tell where food ends and friendship begins.”

A Memphis parent realizes how St. Jude “is a sacred space,” now that she, too, has a sick child and is at the marathon thanking people for running.

“This is truly Memphis at its best. Your commitment to this mission is seen and felt locally as it saves and impacts lives globally.”

“The implications of not entering into a consent decree go beyond a mere declaration of hostility; they fundamentally threaten the integrity of our community’s relationship with law enforcement.”

State Sen. Taylor to DA Mulroy: “Stop trying to be a social justice warrior, aggressively prosecute the laws as written and passed by the General Assembly, and do your job!”

Jared Barnett: “With so many options, it’s easy to simply give to organizations that we are most familiar with. While this relational philanthropy represents the tight-knit nature of our community, it also limits the impact of our giving. It’s time to exchange relational philanthropy with effective philanthropy.”

Elizabeth Cawein says about Memphis music: “2024 has been full of wins so big, so long-anticipated, so hard-fought, that I had to spill some digital ink celebrating them all.”

“I will admit I go overboard. It’s not exactly ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,’ but I try my best. And some of my yard decorations may not immediately lead you to think ‘Christmas.’”

“Whether you are handed a roster of registrants or whether you run the tryouts and hand-select the team yourself, find a way to work in every player, every game.”

“Anger wrestled my grief to the mat. ... The news of uncle’s death had cracked open my heart, but a great many griefs came pouring out.”

The history of Thanksgiving can help us appreciate the miracle of being alive in this time and place, and the timeless gift of gratitude can ground us through any storm.

A Florida woman claimed to have more than 10 years of experience in grant writing. In reality, her last known employment was at a Krystal, and she was on probation for stealing cash deposits from it.

Candace Echols says The Retreat House is “A place that feels like a massage, a nap, a good book, a cup of coffee and afternoon recess on a countryside playground — all together at the same time.”

Joshua Henry Narcisse: This year I am a widower. And I am approaching these coming weeks with curiosity. I am interested to see what these hard and happy days will bring.

Two Memphis schools are now several months into their decisions to go completely phone-free during classroom hours. Last week, Candace Echols checked in with both campuses to see how things are going.

“It isn’t new for bitterness and meanness to enter into American politics. It existed even from people we consider to be the founders of the nation.”

“Seventy-two hours from now, everybody will be in the same boat: The votes will have been cast, and once the votes have been counted, we’ll all know who won. And ... we will all know who lost.”

“When patients meet with me on the edge of or amid crisis, my job is to help them to see that among the broken pieces, something remains. Often, that is the choice to let go.”

“What happens in a Memphis marriage if one spouse is committed to staying in this city, but the other spouse is worn out by all that has happened and all they want to do is go?”

“Returning Shelby County to a wealth-based system of justice that favors the affluent harms everyone else at enormous taxpayer expense. Policies like the Standing Bail Order that can build a safer, smarter, fairer future deserve our support.”

“TVA is trying to distract us from remembering its broken promise and now charging us higher rates to fund self-congratulatory ads aimed at making us grateful to be their customer.”

“My son was just walking to a friend’s house, doing what millions of children do every day. He had his whole life ahead of him. That life was stolen from him.”

“Domestic violence remains an issue affecting more individuals than most realize with one in four women and one in seven men experiencing severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetimes.”

“Most of us emphasize learning from the past or planning for the future. Unfortunately, this often leads to living in the past and agonizing about the future.”