For many of us, whose mothers have passed on, Mother’s Day is a time to remember. My relationship with my mother was always one of respect and love, but I did spend a lot of time worrying about whether or not she approved of my life and the choices I had made. Before she died, we had a chance to really talk things through, and I realized that, yes, I was loved and approved of; her seemingly constant “suggestions” were always given from a place of love and a deep concern for my welfare. This knowledge was instrumental in helping me make peace with losing her. Now the tables are turned, and my brilliant, beautiful daughter is an adult who, I believe, feels much the same way I did years ago. I would rather not wait until I’m on my deathbed to make sure she knows that, yes, I love her and, yes, I approve of her life, her choices and am well pleased with the woman she has become. Life is unpredictable, and all we really have, for sure, is the love of family and friends.

I dedicate this issue of Sasee to all the mothers who are no longer with us. We love you.

In this month’s “Women & Men Who Mean Business” feature, I asked business owners to tell me their favorite Easter or Passover memory. After hearing all the wonderful stories they had to tell, I thought about my own celebrations. I come from a traditional Southern home, and church was always a big part of our Easter celebration, but waking up on Easter morning, knowing the Easter Bunny had come was almost as much fun as Christmas. The day before Easter was spent dyeing Easter eggs, and, to this day, I still love swirling hard-boiled eggs through little cups of dye until they are the perfect shade of yellow or blue. These days, Easter is much more sedate, spent visiting with family and enjoying Grandma’s perfect potato salad, but it is still one of my favorite holidays.

April is also the month Sasee celebrates weddings, and I know you’re going to enjoy reading the wonderful essays submitted by our talented writers. I believe this issue is best read on the porch, enjoying our delightful spring weather, with a glass of something cold by your side. I would love to see a photo of you reading this issue in your perfect spot – you might just be published in an upcoming Sasee!

Happy Spring!

Early one morning, not too long after sunrise, I was coming back from a jog on the beach. My route takes me up and down the South Causeway in Pawleys; the road that connects the island to the mainland, over Pawleys creek and surrounding salt marsh. In the twenty-odd years I’ve lived in the area, I’ve probably been up and down that same road thousands of times and always appreciate its beauty. But, this particular day, as I was heading home my mind was already on what I had to do that day when, for some reason, I looked up. A huge double rainbow was stretched across the entire sky, and it was so magnificent I stopped in my tracks. After a few minutes a car drove by me – and stopped to stare at the rainbow. By the time the colors started to fade there were half a dozen cars pulled off the road, each with a face lifted up to the sky in awe. It was an experience I’ll never forget, and it helps me remember to never take for granted the beauty that we are all so fortunate to behold every day.

This month, you’ll meet people who love our wealth of natural beauty and work to preserve it for generations to come. Plus, you’ll meet our first ever “Sasee Rising Star,” Mackenzie Jones. I hope you have as much fun reading this great issue as we did putting it together!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We live in an amazingly generous community. I have had the privilege of working with volunteers and hearing stories of kindness that confirm my belief in the innate goodness of most people. I’ve also found that the smallest thoughtful gesture can change someone’s day for the better. During the holidays, I was out shopping. It was only a few days before Christmas and most faces held a grim, determined look that mirrored the way I was feeling. I decided to give everyone I met a big smile and, if possible, a kind greeting. Wow, what a response! By the time I finished my shopping I felt like a million bucks. Nearly everyone I met smiled back and greeted me in return. My decision to change my attitude altered the course of my day and, hopefully, the day of a few others.

This month you will meet a few local women who have unselfishly uplifted lives and their communities through hard work and generosity. However, I know there are many unsung heroes who, day after day, change our world for the better. To all of you; from all of us – thank you!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Even though I love summer and hot weather, January holds its own magic. It’s exciting to start a brand new year, with unlimited possibilities, and it’s a great month for relaxing weekends spent reading or watching a good movie. If you need suggestions for a great book, be sure to read Lisa Hamilton’s insightful review, and, even better, you can find them all archived on the website in case you missed past issues.

Sasee has a new feature this month that I hope you’ll love as much as I do – “Rocking Chair Renegades” – highlighting fabulous women over 50. Our first Rocking Chair Renegade is Pawleys Island resident, Barbara Kee. Please let me know what you think.

Another bit of good news is Sasee writer, Felice Prager, has published her second book, Waiting in the Wrong Line. As many of you know from reading her work here, Felice is hilarious, insightful and always leaves her readers wanting more. You can find her book on Amazon.

Happy New Year

Each month, Sasee publishes nine first person essays, selected from the many well-crafted submissions we receive. Freelance writing is lonely work. It involves a lot of sitting at the computer for hours on end and then sending the results out into cyberspace with no clue to how it will be received. While we cannot publish them all, I am very grateful that we are able to offer our readers such a wide range high quality writing. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our writers, many of whom have become friends, for continuing to share your talent and lives with us. This month, in addition to our usual essays, you’ll find some special holiday pages to brighten your day and hopefully convey the spirit of the season.

And, of course, I could not end the year without a big thank you to YOU, dear readers. We are all so grateful that you continue to pick up Sasee each month. Your input and kind comments throughout the year mean so much. May your holiday season be truly blessed. Don’t forget to support your local retailers this year – shop local!

Happy Holidays!

Stephanie Necessary and Eileen Patonay are both educators at Forestbrook Middle School, and through the years we have worked together on several projects. I greatly admire them both for the dedication and love they have for their students – and their students have for them. Recently, I was asked to have a “shadow” for a few hours, a student would come and spend time at our office, seeing firsthand what we do. Haleigh Ferro, a bright and personable eighth grader showed up on time with a big smile on her face. We talked a lot about writing – she loves it – so I asked her to write a sample, “Letter from the Editor.” It was so well-written that I want to share a little of it with you.

Life can be compared to riding a bike. It’s a wonderful ride, the wind whipping through your hair, many different kinds of scenery ahead of you. Sure, you’ll get flat tires and fall off a few times, but you just have to brush yourself off and get back on the bike…things DO get better. So, walk with your head held high and enjoy life!

I look forward to seeing Haleigh succeed as a writer, or in whatever field she chooses. This month, let’s take her advice and enjoy life!

Being a new “empty-nester,” I find the road of my life has changed direction. The house stays clean, and no one wakes me up coming in late at night. I don’t ever have to cook, and grocery shopping is now a completely selfish task. Seeing my son so happy and engaged in school and his new life makes me happy and proud and, for the first time in many years, it really is all about me. As much as I love both of my children, I now trust them to know what’s best for their own lives. I honestly cannot remember the last time I felt I had a starring role in my own life. Change is in the air, and I’m kind of excited.

Sasee is very fortunate to have so many wonderful writers submit their work for publication. Each month, I read dozens carefully crafted essays and wish we had room for more. My hat is off to these talented “Superstars.” Drop me a line – I’d love to know your favorites.

One of my favorite things about my work is interviewing the many fascinating women highlighted in Sasee. This month, I met with Gina Trimarco, founder of Carolina Improv Company in Uptown Myrtle Beach Theater. She and her hilarious troupe of improv artists are well worth the trip to Myrtle Beach Mall and the very reasonable ticket price. See a show, and give yourself the gift of laughter.

September is one of the busiest months of the year for the staff of Strand Media Group. As most of you know, we manage the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art, founded in 1991 with one performance and has since blossomed into a two-week regional celebration packed full of great entertainment. What you may not be aware of are the outreach programs sponsored by the Festival. This year, a capella group, Ball in the House, will lead workshops in two local high schools, giving their show choirs insight into the life and work of professional musicians. Also, well-known street artist, Lee Jones will spend three days in the Waccamaw schools in Pawleys Island, inspiring young artists with a chance to create their own chalk masterpieces on a cement canvas. We hope you’ll come out to one of the events this year. Find the entire schedule at www.pawleysmusic.com.

This month, I did something drastic – I stopped watching television. Well, not completely, I do still watch the occasional movie, but I no longer have a cable subscription with 200+ channels. After a brief, slightly uncomfortable withdrawal, I was shocked by how little I missed it. And, by how much more spare time I have – to read, catch up with family and friends, play with the dogs – and I get to bed on time almost every night. We’ll see what happens when my “shows” come back on this fall, but for now, life without television is great.

Our Sasee Dream Big Book Drive is underway, with all donations of new and gently used children’s books going to the Bright Blue Sea Bookshelf program that provides books, free of charge, to children who need them. Founder, Ann Harris, has worked tirelessly to start and maintain this program; she even traveled to another state to see how a similar program was run. The ad on page 24 lists all of our drop off locations, but if you’re in the Murrells Inlet area, please stop by our office – we would love to see you!