Publisher’s Letter From Your Fearless Leader
“Change does not change tradition. It strengthens it. Change is a challenge and an opportunity, not a threat.”
Prince Philip of England
What a wild ride we have taken on the rollercoaster of life in the last few months. In August, we were getting “Back To” life. September was our “Change” issue, which rolled into October with our “Creativity” issue. We decided to get creative with our branding and we revamped our focus to #bebetterbebella, to start where we are and to find our voices. We are telling our truth. We are honoring the process by accepting where we are at and identifying what needs to change so we can be better. We are expanding.
Now we enter November with our “Tradition” issue. Tradition is not what it used to be. We are building on the stepping stones of our traditions and we are innovating. We are taking our creativity and backing it with tradition to make our innovation lasting and to pave our path for the future.
“Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse.”
– Winston Churchill
The challenge this month, while we learn to survive and thrive during a pandemic, is to remember where we come from without reverting to what no longer serves us. As caring members of a family, a church, an organization, or a community, we can be respectful of the traditions that came before the year 2020, and we can incorporate the growth and change and innovation we had to undergo to survive. We are a living part of a paradigm shift happening before our eyes. We must embrace it while also embracing loved ones who may not wish to venture into a non-traditional future.
My pathway remains uncertain. Challenges greet me at every turn. Am I afraid? No. Do I want to seek the comfort of what I have always known? Yes. But I have been blessed beyond measure with the amazing people who come into my life on a daily basis. I pray, each time someone is put in my life, that we may help each other, that our efforts may be synergistic, and that we will be better together. God answers prayers.
Rick Osbon, Mayor of the City of Aiken, sat down with me to about his new column in Bella and about what excites him about being Mayor. He shares similar prayers to mine — he prays every morning for God to put the people in front of him that he can help that day. If you do not know the Mayor of Aiken very well, his column is sure to be an insight into this amazing man and his passion for Aiken and its people.
John Toli takes another break from horse nutrition this month with the second installment of Horsemanship vs. Humanship. He shares with us that you can only move toward something, not away. This struck me in kind of a profound way. With the ability to pave our own pathways, what are we moving toward? John encourages us to be positive, think positive, and visualize positive!
“Whether or not we follow any particular spiritual tradition, the benefits of love and kindness are obvious to anyone.”
– Dalai Lama
With the new path I venture down, I look forward to new traditions to be adopted, new places to go for the holidays, and new people to celebrate these precious moments with. Aiken will forever be my home, my anchor, my community. Palmetto State, I am excited to explore what you have to offer and even more excited to share with the community the amazing culture, cuisine, and people of the South.
