Placing character above talent and achievement--Our national discussion should be turned on its head. WHAT a person does with his or her life should be measured by the HOW. The means should justify the ends—not the other way around. 

The Season wouldn't be complete without a story by Shelby Strother. As a journalist, and as a writer, Shelby shared his gifts with folks all over the place, and we're all better for it. This particular piece--a Florida Christmas memory-- is something I've been sharing with friends and family for years. Hope you like it half as much as I like reading it.

This week we celebrate the birthday of the late, great Marley Donegan McGinnis, Brown Dog Prophet. He was perfectly suited for a Christmas birthday, since to Marley, every morning was Christmas morning.

Few people on the planet could tell a story like Shelby. This one is The Storied Past of Honest John Smith, the legendary Florida homesteader. His sanctuary on the north bank of Mullet Creek still bears his name. The stories of Florida "come like waves," as Shelby said... "of a life commandeered by an irascible soul, a pirate, a cowboy, a free spirit who survived the rocks and the sandbars..." If you're interested in reading more Shelby, you need to pick up Saddlebags: A Collection of Columns and Stories. Thank you.