LaGrange Living February 2020 | Page 5

WELCOME ••••••••••••••••• February all about our hearts W hen we think of February, certain things automatically come to mind. The first is probably love since Valentine’s Day falls right in the middle of the month. As men, we always seem to do things last minute, but hopefully if you’re reading this you did something nice for the significant other in your life so that they know how you feel. To be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day, though I think it’s underlying message — to tell the people you love that you care about them — has good intentions. Many years ago, in high school, I dated a girl whose birthday was the day after Valentine’s Day, so I could never remember which was which. I used to keep two presents in my car every year that we dated — one for Valentine’s Day and one for her birth- day. If everyone else was carrying pres- ents, I knew it was Valentine’s Day. I never memorized Feb. 14 until I met my wife, who was thankfully born in October, so I haven’t had to juggle those two important days in a long, long time. Good luck to anyone who does. February is also Healthy Heart Month, which doesn’t get enough attention in my opinion. It’s fascinating to me that so many of us look at the beginning of the year as a chance to make our lives better. We promise to eat better, work less, spend more time with family and work out. Many of us are like kids the night before Christmas, dreaming big about what all those changes will mean for us. We all start with good intentions, but life hits most of us in the face quickly, and we lose sight of our goal. Work schedules, unexpected emergencies and other random moments make it difficult to plan every meal and to get to the gym every morning. By the time Super Bowl Sunday rolls Publisher Daniel Evans Contributors Kevin Eckleberry Jenna Oden Dustin Duncan Marketing Jennie Overfelt Truett Pirkle around, we’re back to eating our weight in chicken wings. But this month is all about the heart. It’s a chance to remember how import- ant a healthy diet and exercise are, as well as checkups if something doesn’t feel right. A few weeks ago, someone I’m friends with on Facebook had a massive heart attack and had to have a quadruple bypass. In the last few weeks, it’s put everything in perspective for me watch- ing him post about how thankful he is to be alive. It’s a reminder that life is short. We have to take care of our body, especially our hearts, so make the right choices now for your long-term health. One story in this issue of LaGrange Living focuses on a third February staple — Mardi Gras. An Affair to Remember spoke to us about all of the dresses in style this Mardi Gras season. There are also stories on the Callaway Clock Tower, one of the best family spots in LaGrange, and on artist Jaasiel Barriento, who has a story about work- ing hard to reach your dreams. As always, thank you for reading. Contact Information LaGrange Living 105 Ashton Street LaGrange, GA 30240 INFORMATION: LaGrange Living is published six times per year by LaGrange Newsmedia, LLC. LaGrange Living is a registered trademark. All con- tent is subject to copyright. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. ADVERTISING: Advertising rates and information available upon request by calling (706) 407-2647 or by emailing [email protected]. POSTMASTER: Please send any changes of address or undeliverable information attn: Lagrange Living P.O. Box 929, LaGrange, GA 30240 FEB. 2020/MARCH 2020 | LAGRANGE LIVING • 5