Author: Buddy McElhannon
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If I Were the Devil
For those of you yet to approach your senior years, you may not be familiar with the radio broadcaster, Paul Harvey. In the second half of the 20th century, Harvey had a daily news program and was famous for his “The Rest of the Story” Saturday broadcasts. I thought of Harvey recently while reading a…
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The Color of My Car…and What I Hope It Says About Me
It is a universally acknowledged truth among car companies that a car sells better when its color has a sexy, glamorous name. Or so it seems. I believe the evidence is overwhelming. Car companies have long understood the appeal of colors and have moved away from basic primary tones and simple labels like red, white,…
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Where Were the Angels on Christmas Day?
Were the angels standing in awe or Lying prostrate before the throne? Were they singing Hallelujahs or Kneeling in silent wonder? Where were the angels on Christmas Day? The Nativity foretold, Signaled by the stars. Seeking to worship the newborn King, Wise men traveled from afar. But where were the angels on Christmas Day? Shepherds…
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Word of the Year?
Oxford University Press just announced its 2025 Word of the Year. Rage bait. I know it is two words, but it has only one meaning. Rage bait is defined as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive.” One only has to scroll through social media before one…
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God’s Calling Card: Beauty
There are times when the world around us can feel overwhelming…and ugly. Evil distracts us with temptations. Politics has become divisive, social media addictive, and culture wars beget hate and prejudice. It’s easy to grow indifferent, even callous, to the marvel of the world around us. And as often happens, when beauty becomes distorted in…
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I Have Reached the Age When…
I am having a senior moment. Oh, not an episode of forgetfulness. On the contrary, this senior moment is one of reflection — pondering observations on life and living that have allowed me to embrace such descriptions as over-the-hill, long in the tooth, and my personal favorite — retired. So, here are some random thoughts…
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Reunion Takeaways
This past weekend, I attended my 56th high school reunion. That’s right, #56. We sort of forgot about #55, so a group of alumni answered the philosophical question of the day — why wait? — with a resounding “What’s wrong with celebrating #56?” This explains why we gathered on a fellow grad’s farm in Locust…
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A Grand Old Flag
In 2017, my wife and I visited Charleston, S.C., and decided to tour Fort Sumter. As it happened, we were the first tour group to visit the fort after it had been closed for two weeks following Hurricane Irma. When we arrived at this historic sea fort, we were invited to help raise the 20…
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Pursuing the Wow in Marriage
It’s hard to believe that I could learn something about love and marriage from my two-year-old grandson. But I did. In church, no less. Years ago, my wide-awake, perpetually curious two-year-old grandson sat in the Crying Room at church. While he was well-behaved on this particular Sunday morning, a nearby four-year-old could not sit still.…
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Do Fathers with Daughters Live Longer?
Recently, a surprising study from a Polish university revealed that fathers with daughters live longer. Even more interesting is that the extended lifespan is also impacted by the number of daughters a father has. What about sons? Nope, sons have little effect on a father’s life span. Having raised two sons, I doubt that conclusion. …
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