Stardust and Scar Tissue: Ramblings, Ruminations, and the Search for an Authentic Culture of Life

Through the pandemic, political turmoil, and economic and spiritual strife, Mick Scott, editorial page editor of the Winston-Salem Journal, worked to keep hope alive among the regular readers of his opinion column. Appealing to their natural kindness as well as intellect, reason, and conscience, he encouraged them to resist fear and cruelty, reject despair, respond to challenges with compassion, and to take refuge in the knowledge that better days were ahead. Whether traveling North Carolina to find hidden cultural gems or sitting in nature with his beloved wild companions, he inspired readers not to endure, but to thrive. The ideas Mick shared in these short (sometimes humorous) essays are as reliable and meaningful today as they were when written. Sit back and rest. Share a conversation with friends. We still have a ways to go, but together, we will get there.