Goodbye, farewell, amen: Here's one last thing On My Mind

Hey, y’all. This will be my last On My Mind commentary. You probably know, if you’ve been listening to WFAE lately, that the station is having to make some cuts. When that became clear, I decided to take a buyout. We’re parting on good terms.

That doesn’t mean I’m not sad about leaving. I’m going to miss my colleagues at the station. But even more, I’m going to miss the chance to talk to you every Monday about what’s going on in the world and what we can do about it.

Radio is this amazing medium. It’s lonely and intimate at the same time. I’m saying these words into a mic at my home office. Nobody else is here. I’m just hoping that, when they make their way to you, they strike a chord — make you feel something. But I never imagined that thousands of people are listening. I always think about it being just one person. I want it to feel like I’m talking only to you.

We have gone through a lot together in seven-plus years. We were in the midst of the Trump administration when I started, then out of it, then back in it again. In the first days of COVID, I was on the air every weekday for a while, talking about how the pandemic was affecting me and my family, hoping it resonated with you and yours.

There have been so many times when just writing some thoughts and saying them out loud has made me feel more hopeful. I hope that hearing them has done the same for you.

It’s easy, especially in the times we’re in, to frame the world in terms of what we’re against. So many powerful people in this country want to drag us backward, not just to the 1950s, or the 1850s, but to the 1750s, when we were still ruled by a king. We fought a revolution and a civil war to end those dark times, and somehow, here in 2025, we still have to keep fighting.

But before I go radio silent, I want to remind you that life can’t just be conflict — even when you’re fighting the good fights. You have to make room for joy. You have to tend to the ones you love, you have to give others grace, and you have to extend those same kindnesses to yourself. Enjoy good music. Socialize with friends. Go watch a ball game — or play in one if you’re able. Take a moment now and then to remind yourself of all the ways you’re blessed.

If those blessings weren’t there, the fight wouldn’t be worth it.

We face an uncertain future. The only comfort is knowing that the future has always been uncertain, and all we can do is our best. One of my favorite quotes is from the novelist E.L. Doctorow, who said that writing is like driving a car at night — you can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

That applies to a lot more than writing, I think. I leave you with this: Keep driving, no matter how dark the night. Keep the headlights burning. But pull over once in a while to breathe in this precious world — and savor every moment of this time we have together.