Be Open

Ladonna Armstrong

August 6, 2020

“If we open our eyes, our minds and our hearts, we will find that this world is a magical place.”

ChÕgyam Trungpa

The August issue of Bella magazine is the second annual “Back to…” issue. We first published the Back to Bella issue in 2019 with thoughts of back to school, back to business, back to life — a return from the summer. This year everything is different. Yes, there is a back to, a return to these mile markers; however, back to normal is not on the horizon. We have a new normal that we will be returning to. Schools are finalizing their schedules. Some students will be returning to their schools full-time, some only part-time, and some not at all. Some students will do their schooling online. At first this seemed discouraging, especially with so many different options, but then came the realization that this offers freedom of choice. It is a very comforting thing to have the freedom to choose the option that fits the needs of your family the best. It gives us the feeling of having just a bit more control.

The same can be said for the two separate issues of Bella. We announced earlier this year that we would be creating a sister magazine to Aiken Bella Magazine. She made appearances in June and July as an insert within the folds of Aiken Bella. This month she stands by herself, our Palmetto Bella Magazine. With such anticipation of a sister magazine, we were saddened when COVID-19 hit. It set our plans back a bit, but we did not sit idle. We built relationships with our readers, advertisers, and contributors, and grew to the point where we can now offer both editions. The pandemic gave us the freedom to slow down and reevaluate the best path for Bella. We concentrated on our foundations.

We have expanded our distribution across the state of South Carolina. Palmetto Bella can be found in Lexington, Columbia, Camden, Charleston, Summerville, Isle of Palms, Mt. Pleasant, Greenville, Spartanburg, Traveler’s Rest, Anderson, Clemson, Maudlin, Powdersville, Inman, and Easley.

Aiken Bella Magazine is available in Aiken, North Augusta, Johnston, Barnwell, Augusta, Evans, Grovetown, Edgefield, Greensboro, and Lake Oconee.

Some content varies between the editions. Aiken Bella contains content and events of interest to the local CSRA area, while Palmetto Bella is more inclusive of all of South Carolina and large cities bordering the state lines. All Bella content will also be added to the website and posted in social media. And if you would like each issue to arrive right at your doorstep, we offer a subscription service as well.

This month be sure to check out Marti Healy’s article on Hatching Stones as well as Jane Herlong’s article on Humble Pie. My personal favorite this month, located in Palmetto Bella, is LaRahna Hughes’s article Forces of Nature. Aikenites can find the article online at AikenBellaMagazine.com.
We had an opportunity to join LaRhana out at her farm recently and were able to soak up some of her knowledge and wisdom in person.

Thank you again to all the Bella supporters and contributors. It has been quite a journey. We are looking forward to the coming fall season and the new normal it will bring.

“If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now, and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.”

Maseru Emoto

Facebook Tweet Pin

Ladonna Armstrong

Publisher of Aiken Bella Magazine.

Ladonna Armstrong

Publisher of Aiken Bella Magazine.

In the know

Letter From The Editor | These Boots Are Made For Walkin’

“These boots are made for walkin’” Lee Hazlewood, as recorded by Nancy Sinatra I try not to offend anyone. Doesn’t make me feel good, and I’m certain it doesn’t make the other person feel good, so I see no value in it. But Ladonna is, for some reason, offended by my little black boots. The feeling is not mutual — they have never offered any opinion of Ladonna whatsoever. But she has had it in for my boots for well over a year. Ladonna: You need some new boots. me: Why? These are fine. Ladonna: Because you should have several pairs of nice boots. me: I only have one pair

Be Conscientious

“Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen … yourself, right now, right down here on Earth.” ~ Bradley Whitford April is the “Action” Issue. It is a little bittersweet for many, as we normally celebrate sports and sporting events in the spring. The weather is warmer, the flowers are in bloom — beauty is unfolding itself everywhere we turn. The outdoors beckons

Make Your Own Luck

Learn to B-Positive Have you ever wondered whether some folks are just flat-out lucky? Perhaps there are some who are wired differently? Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t — you’re right.” The following is a great example of this quote. One of my Sunday school buds told our class a story I will never forget. As a 17-year-old, Nicky entered Boot Camp. He said that he was petrified and had a sinking feeling of failure. He dropped to his knees and prayed, “Lord, I need help. Please send me a sign to help me survive Basic Training.” With bowed head, Nicky’s eyes

More Power To Your Elbows

It’s more British than American. And it likely originated as a toast. The phrase “more power to your elbows” meant you lifted your comrades up to continued good fortune, with many more celebrations to come (so their elbows would therefore be bent in many more celebratory toasts). But now, “more power to your elbows” is most often just said in recognition of a thing well done, with hope for even more successes. A sort of quirky wish for “good luck.” I am quite smitten with the phrase. But when it comes to traditions of good luck, I suspect most of us are more familiar with the “bending of our elbows”