From the Editor
The " Heart " of it all
By Christopher Harris CJ Magazine Editor
The heart is such an amazing machine. It is essentially the engine of our life, keeping us going, keeping our blood pumping and our bodies vital. We can ' t see it, we can ' t access it— but it ' s always there inside our chest, working away, letting us do all the things we do, from physical activities to running errands to just spending time with friends and family. Through all of it, our heart is there, allowing us to live our lives.
As such, it ' s incredibly important— but it can suffer wear and tear, so it ' s just as important to keep it in good shape. When you don ' t, scary things can happen— and those who survive will attest to how crucial it is to keep as close an eye as you can on your heart ' s health.
In this edition of Southeast Kentucky Life, we have those stories, of people whose hearts were vulnerable— not in the way we think of in romantic movies or on the therapy couch, but in a very real, literal sense.
We hear from State Senator Rick Girdler of Somerset, who had a heart scare in 2022 but is still working for the people of the Lake Cumberland region in Frankfort as well as for his own health and well-being.
We also look at the heart from two sides— one, from Jessica Bailey of Lake Cumberland Cardiology Associates, to learn about heart disease from the perspective of the medical profession, and two, from our very own SEKYL graphic designer Pam Popplewell, who had to step away from the publication for a couple of months recently to deal with her own health battle. Bailey ' s valuable information is interwoven with Popplewell ' s real-life account of her fight to live, and we are incredibly blessed to have her back with us, making her magic both in the pages of this magazine and in the lives of all of us who know and love her.
Of course, it ' s February, which means considering the heart from another angle— the one with a point at the bottom and the two curves at the top, representing Valentine ' s Day. In the following pages, we profile two businesses that can help make Date Night a great one— downtown Somerset ' s Southern Vines Wine Bar, a great place to go and enjoy a night out sipping and learning about all kinds of wines, and Simply the Best Florist, the place to go to get that special arrangement that helps start the night off on the right foot.
Sharing valentines and candy hearts is fun and all, but none of it would be possible without the human heart— the real deal. It ' s not as pretty to look at, but it ' s a beautiful and fascinating part of the human experience, and we go as far as it goes— so we here at SEKYL Magazine encourage you to take great care of yours!
2 • SEKY- Southeast Kentucky Life february 2026