December 18, 2025 Edition

The

TravelIssue

2 2 DEC 18 --- JAN 07, 2026

Publisher

E-NOTES

Cheryl Mainor Norman

Editor-In-Chief

Kai El Zabar

Chief Content Officier Laura Miller Malachi Webster Editorial Assistant Creative Direction

CNW Studio, LLC

Sales Manager Sales Manager Copy Editor Staff Writers

Kevin Ross Michael Toliver Max Blaisdell Mila K. Marshall PhD. Candi McCrary Neffer Kerr Cabryl Breotti CL. Blackburn

Columnists

Intern & Illustrator

Cover Photography

Dr. Sanja Rickette Stinson David Seaton

Elijah Lee Photo Submission : Ryan Willis Design: CNW Studios

Chicago News Weekly, LLC 700 N Sacramento Blvd Suite 320 Chicago, IL 60612 (312) 877-5151

Synchronicity and Serendipity Kai El Zabar - Editor-In-Chief How many times have you heard someone say, “Things happen for a reason”? Well, I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard it said to me. Things happen in our lives for a reason, even if that reason is not clear right away. And it always seems to be said when we experience something unpleasant or something unexplainable.

How else do we make sense of the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection?

Sometimes it's something we can also describe as serendipitous.

To understand this fully, we must first recognize how these two concepts relate. Serendipity is the occurrence of fortunate, accidental discoveries while searching for something else.

Synchronicity, on the other hand, refers to meaningful coincidences that seem connected without a logical cause-and-effect relationship.

Serendipity is often about finding something useful by chance, whereas synchronicity is about the deeper psychological or emotional meaning of a coincidence.

For instance, I recall when my college boyfriend of two years never once danced with me—but interrupted me Chicago News Weekly is on the dance floor as I danced with a Published on Thursday handsome gentleman who had asked me to dance. I was very surprised. www.cnwmedia.com advertising@cnwmedia.com Later that same evening, that same handsome gentleman and I crossed editorial@cnwmedia.com paths in the college commons when CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S ISSUE AT my boyfriend grabbed my shoulder WWW.CNWMEDIA.COM/E-EDITIONS from behind, causing me to slip and fall. I can’t tell you how the humiliation I felt influenced my decision to end my relationship that very night.

Volume 3 No. 21 October 15, 2025

That was May. By September, my ex invited me to accompany him to an annual affair we had attended in the past. I accepted the invitation but made it clear that we were not a couple.

That evening, the entertainment happened to be the same handsome man who had asked me to dance the night I ended my two-year relationship.

He and I exchanged information, began dating, married, and shared a beautiful chapter of life together for 26 years. The way our relationship unfolded shed light on my awareness of synchronicity—and taught me to pay attention to serendipity in action.

Taking a closer look, we can recognize that when events appear to fit together perfectly in our lives, they may at first seem like random occurrences— coincidences. These synchronous happenings, though, are often much more than that.

If we look more closely, they can show us that the universe is working in tandem with us, as if it hears and knows our thoughts through its responses and communicates with us. Those inclined toward belief in God, the Creator of all things, give thanks to Him and express gratitude for all that He does.

Others see life through a different belief system.

But learning to pay attention to and connect the things that occur daily can help us become more attuned to the fact that most everything happens in our lives for a reason—even when that reason is not immediately clear. Such is how God works.

When we experience synchronicity—when things go more smoothly than we could ever imagine—it allows us to reflect on the patterns in our lives. We can step back and see the hand of God at work.

Even events that don’t initially seem related can come together to indicate that the universe is moving in unison, not against us. Synchronicity invites us to embrace reality and trust that there is more to our lives than what we experience physically. We must be willing to look more closely at the bigger picture, including the spiritual and the unexplained, accepting and having confidence in the fact that there is more to our experiences than what immediately meets the eye.

Being open to synchronicity also means recognizing that our lives are filled with both positive and negative events. Once we understand that neither is inherently better or more desirable than the other— and that each has a unique purpose in our lives, then we are truly ready to listen to the messages the universe gives us.

While we may not see everything in our lives as synchronous, we can certainly use hindsight to become more aware of how the universe provides guidance. When explained this way, most people are inclined to accept this sense of wonder at the mysteries of the universe. Recognizing the interconnectedness in our lives helps us understand our ways of being and makes it easier to work consciously toward our spiritual evolution. For those who believe that God is the master of the universe, miracles do indeed happen—and we waste no time trying to figure out how or why they occur. We simply accept and give thanks.

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CITY NEWS Semicolon on Pause: Black Businesses Vanishing in Plain Sight MALACHI WEBSTER - STAFF WRITER Danielle Moore did something rare on the Magnificent Mile: she opened a Black woman–owned bookstore and dared it to stand next to the luxury logos. Semicolon Books on Michigan Avenue wasn’t just a retail space; it was a sentence break in a city that usually rushes past Black voices, a pause that said: stay here, read this, see us.

Five and a half months later, that sentence got interrupted. Semicolon went dark on the Mile, then announced a “temporary closure” through 2026, a kind of long-term hibernation dressed up in optimistic punctuation. Friends texted screenshots, the way people do when a relationship status suddenly changes on social. The collective reaction wasn’t just sadness; it was déjà vu. Because in Chicago, Black spaces rarely die loudly. They just go quiet and hope someone notices in time.

Call it what it is: a survival timeout.

Semicolon’s hiatus exposes how fragile Black cultural infrastructure really is in a city that loves to celebrate it on stage and starve it offstage. When the store opened downtown, the mayor showed up. Local media framed it as a symbol of “revitalization” for the corridor. But celebration is not a business model.

Rent still comes due. Foot traffic still needs to convert into receipts.

Community work still costs money even when the press conferences are over.

Look around and you see the pattern.

Black-owned grocery stores fighting to stay open despite tariffs and thinning benefit dollars. Black-owned coffee shops in historically Black neighborhoods closing locations after years of service, taken out not just by economics but by a cluster of robberies and the psychic cost of rebuilding again and again.

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Vintage shops run by Black owners in gentrifying corridors shutter after six years, casualties of both crime and a market that never really built a safety net for them in the first place. None of this happens with the urgency of a factory shutting down overnight. It happens one “temporary” closure at a time.

Semicolon’s “see you in 2026” message reads like hope, but it also reads like a test. Can a Black literary space hit pause for more than a year and still have a city to come back to? Can a customer base that was already stretching to support it on the Mile sustain the memory long enough to make a relaunch viable? Or does the word “temporary” simply soften us into accepting what is effectively a slow goodbye?

There’s a James Baldwin line that haunts this moment: that not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. Semicolon forces Chicago to face a question it keeps dodging: what infrastructure actually exists to keep Black cultural institutions not just alive, but stable? Not grant cycles. Not ribbon cuttings.

Infrastructure.

That means predictable funding, policy that recognizes cultural spaces as essential, and an economy where Black customers aren’t choosing between groceries and a hardcover that reflects their own lives back to them.

If this city wants Semicolon back in 2026—and wants the next Black-owned shop, café, or market to last longer than a political news cycle—then the story has to shift from “look at this beautiful thing” to “here is what we are willing to materially do to keep it here.” That might mean public cultural stabilization funds, neighborhood-level spending campaigns, and landlords who understand that long-term community value can be more important than short-term rent spikes.

For now, Semicolon sits in that uneasy space between alive and gone, a bookstore written in future tense. The lights are off, but the sentence isn’t finished. The question is whether Chicago is willing to do the work to make sure this pause is really a pause—and not just the polite version of an ending.

Illustration by Eli

CITY NEWS

A New Chief Judge in Town CNW STAFF REPORT

Judge Charles Beach was sworn in last month as the new Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, marking the first leadership change in the office in 24 years. Beach assumes the role after defeating longtime incumbent Judge Timothy Evans, who held the position for nearly a quarter century.

Beach was elected by his fellow Cook County judges in September 2025 and officially began his three-year term on December 1.

Following the announcement of the vote, Beach praised Evans’ tenure, calling his leadership dignified and compassionate. “He’s led us with dignity, compassion, and empathy,”Beachsaid.“Whathe’saddedtothe judiciarycannotbequantifiedinwords.”

Evans’ tenure was widely associated with reforms rooted in civil rights principles, particularly efforts to reduce inequities in the criminal legal system.

Under his leadership, the court expanded specialty courts aimed at addressing the underlying causes of crime rather than relying solely on punishment. These included courts focused on veterans, substance use, mental health, and prostitution-related offenses.

PuIn 2017, Evans introduced Illinois’ first Restorative Justice Community Court in North Lawndale. The program, since replicated in other communities, allows individuals accused of nonviolent offenses to resolve cases through dialogue, restitution, and community service instead of incarceration. Evans also played a key role in bail reform, directing judges to consider a defendant’s ability to pay when setting bail—a shift that helped pave the way for the statewide Pretrial Fairness Act and the elimination of cash bail in Illinois.

Beach now takes over amid heightened scrutiny of Cook County’s electronic monitoring program, which has faced criticism following a recent high-profile case.

Last month, a woman was doused with gasoline and set on fire aboard a CTA train. Police say the suspect, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, was seen running through the train engulfed in flames after the attack. Reed, who is now facing federal terrorism charges, was a participant in the county’s electronic monitoring program at the time.

At the swearing-in ceremony, Beach acknowledged the magnitude of the role ahead. “The weight of this office is profound,” he said. “I stand here humbled by the trust you have placed in me.”

“They’ve got to get this electronic monitoring situation under control,” CBS News Chicago legal analyst Irv Miller said.

The case has reignited debate over accountability within the monitoring system. Under Evans’ leadership, the chief judge’s office and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office publicly disagreed over responsibility for failures in responding to Reed’s violations.

The chief judge’s office previously stated that prosecutors requested a pause in receiving escalated electronic monitoring alerts due to the volume of notifications. The state’s attorney’s office denied that claim, instead citing a lack of clear protocols. Beach’s office has said the new chief judge will address the monitoring system as a priority.

Beach was formally sworn in on November 24 in a ceremony attended by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. As chief judge, he oversees approximately 400 judges, 3,000 full-time employees, and a $368 million budget.

The 55-year-old Beach has served as a judge for eight years and spent most of his legal career as a criminal defense attorney.

At the swearing-in ceremony, Beach acknowledged the magnitude of the role ahead. “The weight of this office is profound,” he said. “I stand here humbled by the trust you have placed in me.”

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COVER STORY

GET LOST IN THE NEW LAURA MILLER - MANAGING EDITOR

BY LAURA MILLER - MANAGING EDITIOR

6

WITH SPECIAL TRAVEL IMAGES SPOTLIGHT : RYAN WILLIS & VIKKI DAGUERRE-KAUFMAN 6 DEC 18 --- JAN 07, 2026

COVER STORY Every December, as the year begins to wind down, we start making promises to ourselves. Goals.

Resolutions. Vision boards. Plans for theversion of uswe hope to meet in the new year. Some of those intentions stick. Some quietly fade bythethirdweekofJanuary.

Butonethingthatalmostalwayscuts through the dullness of adulting, the emails, the deadlines, the constant push to do more, is the idea of getting away. A well-planned vacation.Apausethatfeelsearned.

For the seasoned travelers and the ones still convincing themselves that travel is even possible for them, this moment is for you. Because while many of us keep a bucket list of places we want to see, the real question is whether that list is intentional. Whether it reflects who we are now, how we feel, and what weactuallyneed.

Whetheryou are preparing to travel this winter or using the colder months to plan an intentional getaway for next year, this story is meant to meet you where you are.

We spoke with travelers and experts who understand how to move thoughtfully, rest deeply, and plan accordinatlywithoutlosingjoy.

For Chicago-based travel influencer Brittney McCoy, known to her followers as @Cupcakeb88, winter is not a season to rush through or skip altogether. It is a time to slow down, realign,andmovewithpurpose.

“Intentional travel means choosing experiences that align with my values,notjustmyvibe,”McCoysays.

“It’s less about checking things off a listandmoreaboutasking,‘Doesthis trip serve me creatively, emotionally, or spiritually?’ If the answer is yes, I’m there.”

When Travel Becomes a Form of Care There is something about winter that naturally slows everything down. Fewercrowds. Quieterstreets.

Softer light. The season almost asks you to move differently. ForMcCoy, that slower rhythm creates space to reconnect, not justwith adestination, butwithherself.

Her recent off-season return to New Orleans felt especially meaningful. It had been more than a decade since her last visit, and this time, the city metherdifferently.

“Beyond the food and vibes, it was really special to connect with locals, explore neighborhoods outside the usual tourist zones, and support small Black-owned businesses,” she says.“Itremindedmehowpowerful travel can be when it’s rooted in community and intention, not just sightseeing,butsoul-feeding.”

That idea feels especially relevant right now.Travel does not have to be extravagant to be transformative.

Sometimes it is simply about stepping away long enough to rememberyourself.

Travel does not have to be extravagant to be transformative.

Sometimes it is simply about stepping away long enough to remember yourself.

That idea feels especially relevant right now. Travel does not have to be extravagant to be transformative.

Sometimes it is simply about stepping away long enough to rememberyourself.

TheRiseofthe“Calmcation” Winter has also given rise to a different kind of getaway. One that prioritizes rest without guilt. McCoy callsita“calmcation.”

“Acalmcation is all about goingwith the flow,” she explains. “No packed schedule, no strict itinerary, just vibes. Comfort, good food, maybe a little spa time, and leaving room to do absolutely nothing if that’s what I need.”

For her, resetting does not require a passport stamp or a packed agenda.

It might look like a solo hotel stay, long walks through the city, journaling, room service, and letting thedayunfoldwithoutpressure.

“Doing less actually means doing more for them,” McCoy says, speaking about her audience. “It’s about hitting a spa, going on a wellness retreat, unplugging for a minute,notjustsightseeing.”

In a culture that celebrates constant motion, winter travel offers permissiontosoften.

Luxury That Feels Smart, Not Stressful For many people, travel still feels expensive,unrealistic,oroutofreach.

That belief alone keeps them from ever getting started. McCoy is intentional about challenging that narrative.

“I’ll splurge on a luxe hotel if it aligns with my values, but I’ll also grab lunch from a family-owned spot down the block,” she says. “Doing good doesn’t mean sacrificing joy. It just means moving with intention.” shenotes.

That balance between enjoyment and awareness is becoming more common, especially during winter.

RyanWillis, authorof the Passport to Discovery series, approaches the seasonwithstrategy.

“I usually don’t travel during the colder months,” Willis says. “This is the time I’m searching to find deals for the months of March through August.”

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COVER STORY

For Willis, winter is less about movement and more about preparation. Planning ahead allows him to travel comfortably later without overspending. When he does book trips, he prioritizes experiences first, then chooses hotels that align with his lifestyle and budget. Loyalty programs help him maintain comfort while staying mindful of cost.

He has also noticed growing interest in winter group travel, particularly Black ski trips and lodge-style experiences that blend community, comfort, and shared joy.

Seeing Beauty Where You Are Winter may not come with beaches or blooming landscapes, but it offers something just as powerful. Mood. Stillness. Texture.

“A place doesn’t have to be famous to be cinematic,” McCoy says. “I look for light, texture, and moments that feel soft but still rich. Warm café interiors. Quiet streets. Golden hour reflecting off city windows.”

She uses social media as a visual search tool, but some of her favorite moments come from simply walking without a plan.

“If it feels like a scene from a movie,” she says, “you’re in the right place.”

You Do Not Have to Earn Rest Perhaps the most meaningful shift happening around winter travel is this. People are realizing they do not have to wait. Not for more money. Not for more time. Not for life to slow down on its own.

McCoy has embraced the rise of the day trip, sometimes flying to New York just for lunch and returning home the same day.

“It’s about making the most of your time instead of waiting for the perfect moment,” she says. “If you plan it right, even a few hours in a new city can feel like a full experience.”

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Winter, it turns out, is not the season you put life on hold. It is the season that reminds you that rest is not a reward. It is a requirement.

At its core, winter travel is not about escape. It is about acknowledgment. About recognizing how much you have already given. “Travel is for everyone,” McCoy says. “You don’t have to be rich or have it all figured out. With a little research, smart budgeting, and curiosity, you can create meaningful experiences anywhere, even just a few hours from home.”

“Travel is for everyone,” McCoy says. “You don’t have to be rich or have it all figured out. With a little research, smart budgeting, and curiosity, you can create meaningful experiences anywhere, even just a few hours from home.”

Winter, it turns out, is not the season you put life on hold. It is the season that reminds you that rest is not a reward. It is a requirement.

And sometimes, getting away is not about running from your life. It is about finally taking a moment to enjoy everything you have worked so hard to build.

NATIONAL NEWS Amongst 'The Few Good Men,' Rob Reiner CNW STAFF REPORT

With great saddness and shame CNW media reports the news of the horrific news of veteran Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner along with his wife his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday afternoon in what authorities are investigating as an apparent homicide, and their 32-year-old son is in custody at the time of ths reporting.

Authorities have issued a search warrant for the Reiner home, McDonnell said, calling it a "critical piece of our investigation."

We were informed that Paramedics responded to a call for medical aid at the residence in the Brentwood neighborhood around 3:30 p.m. PT. Upon their arrival, inside, they found Reiner, 78, and his wife, 68, dead.

It's a known fact that Nick Reiner had struggled with addiction for years. Friends also shared that Nick was living in a guest house on his parent's property and his mother had become increasingly concerned about his mental health in recent weeks.

Multiple reports document that the couple suffered stab wounds and according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department records, Nick Reiner was taken into custody late Sunday and booked into jail on a felony charge and os currently being held on $4 million bail.

It was the Reiner's daughter who found her parents Sunday afternoon. Law enforcement sources told The Times that there was no sign of forced entry into the home in the 200 block of Chadbourne Avenue. The source also said the Reiners had injuries consistent with being stabbed.

Nick Reiner was taken into custody at 9:15 p.m.

Sunday and booked at 5:04 a.m. Monday, jail records show. He is being held on

Nick Reiner's was arrested on suspicion of murdering his parents after discovering the gifted and prolific Hollywood story teller Rob and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their Brentwood home Sunday. Mention of who made the initial call to paramedics was not establishedLos Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said that officers responded to the Reiner home at about 3:40 p.m. Detectives from the elite Robbery-Homicide Division "worked throughout the night" and took Nick Reiner, 32, into custody.

The Los Angeles Timesreported that friends of the Reiners informed them that Rob and Nick Reiner got into an argument Saturday evening at a party at Conan O'Brien's home and that many people noticed Nick acting strangely at the party.

Nick Reiner was taken into custody at 9:15 p.m.

Sunday and booked at 5:04 a.m. Monday, jail records show. He is being held on $4 million bail.

In interviews, Nick Reiner has described cycling in and out of rehab centers and experiencing bouts of homelessness as a teenager. The good news is that 2015 he began a new lease on life--he had gotten clean. That same year he worked with his father on “Being Charlie,” a semi-autobiographical film about addiction and recovery.

Rob Reiner directed and Nick co-wrote the film about a successful actor with political ambitions and a son addicted to drugs. That was meant to be the beginning of a whole new life for Nick.

Rob Reiner will be remembered by many as the director of several classic Hollywood movies, including "This Is Spinal Tap," "A Few Good Men," "When Harry Met Sally," "The Princess Bride," "Stand by Me and Misery."

Each film different across genres and story each leaving the audience with insight wisdom and sometimes knowledge shared the brillance of Rob Reiner's artistic and creative genius.

As an actor, Reiner was best known for playing Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the iconic sitcom "All in the Family," alongside Archie Bunker.

Rob's wife Michele Singer Reiner was an actress, photographer and producer. Their deaths will be a major loss to the world.

November Jobs Report Shows Rising Unemployment and Worsening Outlook for Black Workers STACY M. BROWN BLACK PRESS USA SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT The rise in unemployment has been uneven, with Black workers experiencing some of the most severe impacts. Black men ages 20 and older saw their unemployment rate jump from 6.6 percent in September to 7.5 percent in November. Black women ages 20 and older recorded an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent in November, slightly lower than September’s 7.5 percent but still higher than any other racial or ethnic group.

The U.S. labor market showed further signs of strain in November, with new federal data revealing rising unemployment, steep losses in government jobs, and worsening conditions for Black workers, particularly Black men, according to an analysis of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report and a review by the National Women’s Law Center.

Employers added 64,000 jobs nationwide in November, a modest gain following months of data disruptions caused by the federal government shutdown. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent, up from 4.4 percent in September, the last month for which a full labor force survey was completed. The increase places unemployment at its highest level in four years. Behind the headline figures, federal employment continued to fall sharply. Since January, when Donald Trump returned to office, federal payrolls have declined by 271,000 positions.

The November report reveals continued reductions tied to deferred resignation programs and layoffs that accelerated earlier in the fall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Behind the headline figures, federal employment continued to fall sharply. Since January, when Donald Trump returned to office, federal payrolls have declined by 271,000 positions. The November report reveals continued reductions tied to deferred resignation programs and layoffs that accelerated earlier in the fall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The rise in unemployment has been uneven, with Black workers experiencing some of the most severe impacts. Black men ages 20 and older saw their unemployment rate jump from 6.6 percent in September to 7.5 percent in November. Black women ages 20 and older recorded an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent in November, slightly lower than September’s 7.5 percent but still higher than any other racial or ethnic group. Long-term unemployment has also become more pronounced for Black workers. Black women who are unemployed are typically out of work for 14.5 weeks, while Black men face average unemployment spells of 12.1 weeks.

By comparison, white women experience unemployment lasting about 8.6 weeks, and white men about 9.6 weeks, according to the National Women’s Law Center’s review of federal labor data.

The November report shows that overall job growth remains concentrated in a narrow set of sectors. Healthcare added more than 46,000 jobs, while construction employment rose by 28,000.

Manufacturing lost 5,000 jobs, and transportation and warehousing shed nearly 18,000 positions.

Leisure and hospitality also declined, reflecting broader weakness outside a handful of growth industries.

Federal officials cautioned that November’s data carry higher-than-usual margins of error due to survey delays related to the shutdown. Even so, economists reviewing the report noted that revisions to late-summer and early-fall payrolls showed fewer jobs than initially reported, reinforcing signs of a cooling labor market.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the number of people unemployed for more than six months rose to 1.9 million in November, up from 1.7 million a year earlier. Wage growth slowed to 3.5 percent over the past year, the weakest pace since before the pandemic, adding pressure on households facing elevated prices and limited job mobility.

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EMPOWERMENT Give Us This Day: Navigating a Year of Transition Dr. Sanja Rickette Stinson - Columnist

“Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

“There is a simple, timeless line in the Lord’s Prayer that most of us can say without thinking: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

But every now and then, life takes us through a season where those words stop sounding routine and start sounding like a plea, a whisper, and a grounding reminder that God gives strength one day at a time.

And for many of us, 2025 was exactly that kind of year. A year of transition, reinvention, disruption, and unexpected chapters we never thought we would have to write.

And believe it or not, some transitions we saw coming, while others caught us completely off guard. And some even felt like God tore out the entire page before we even got to finish the paragraph. To the point where others left many of us staring at a blank space, wondering, “Lord, what in the world am I supposed to write next?”

Let’s be clear: if this year taught us anything, it is that life changes fast, but God’s provision comes daily.

This year felt like a year where yesterday’s strength didn’t last, because 2025 was no gentle stroll. It was the kind of year that required fresh strength by 9:15 a.m. and a second helping by lunchtime. The political noise alone was enough to make people tense, divided, or exhausted. And our personal worlds were shifting too—careers transitioning, families changing, health challenges surfacing, businesses trying to survive in unpredictable markets.

Even the strongest entrepreneurs and leaders, along with people who normally thrive during chaos, found themselves saying, “Lord… if You don’t drop some bread today, I may not make it through this meeting.”

In 2025, daily bread became our lifeline—not a weekly blessing, not monthly strategies, but daily bread we found ourselves longing for. We sought a fresh word, a fresh idea, fresh moments of courage, and a fresh reminder that we are not walking through transition alone.

In 2025, daily bread became our lifeline—not a weekly blessing, not monthly strategies, but daily bread we found ourselves longing for. We sought a fresh word, a fresh idea, fresh moments of courage, and a fresh reminder that we are not walking through transition alone.

Caught between What Was and What’s Next, this year of transition had a way of leaving us in the hallway—too far from where we came from, not yet where we’re going, and wondering who invented these long spiritual hallways in thefirstplace.

So, for many, in 2025 we were experiencing or going through: • Jobs shifted.

• Income dropped or changed form.

• Roles ended.

• Leadership moved.

• Businesses pivoted.

• Faith was tested.

• And identities were stretched.

Yet, in all this, something holy was happening. A quiet invitation. A divine turning of the page.

A reminder that there are still more chapters waiting for us. What we need to be reminded of is that 2025 stripped away what no longer fit and what no longer served us. As we step into 2026, it will be an introduction to what we didn’t know we needed.

Listen—no matter the year of uncertainty or the chaos of life, despite the bread God provided not always felt like a full “loaf,” God still gave abundance: breakthroughs, clarity, opportunities. While we might have felt like they were only crumbs, just enough to take the next step we needed to take.

That’s how transitions work. Daily bread came in unexpected ways and in many forms throughout the year:

The next chapters of your life haven’t disappeared; they are simply waiting for you to outgrow the old ones.

This is where this series begins. So, before we talk strategy or vision, we must talk about self-mastery and planning for 2026. Let’s start here: acknowledging that this year stretched us, shifted us, and stripped away what we thought we needed —so God could prepare us for what’s next.

You didn’t make it through this year because you had everything together. You made it because God handed you daily bread—grace for the moment, strength for the day, wisdom for the decision, and courage for the transition. And now, as each of us is standing on the edge of a new year, one truth rises. Be assured of this: • The page is turning.

• Your chapter is not over.

• Your story is still being written.

In the next part of this three-part series, we’ll talk about faith fatigue and why so many experienced it this year—and how to rebuild spiritually, mentally, and emotionally for the unwritten chapters ahead.

• A business idea that woke you up at 3 a.m.

• A friend who reached out at the right moment • A door closing that needed to close • A voice inside saying, “pivot” • A contract that came just in time • A moment of peace in the middle of confusion It wasn’t always flashy, but it was always enough.

And the hard truth for us all, no matter our status transition is always uncomfortable, because transition demands surrender. It requires faith not just in God, but in the unknown chapters ahead. It forces us to release routines, titles, relationships, and expectations that no longer lead us forward. And let’s be honest— spiritually, many of us were tired this year. Not because we lacked faith, but because the constant changes required us to stretch deeper, trust harder, and breathe prayer by prayer.

But even in that exhaustion, grace was present.

God writes in seasons, not single pages—that’s the beauty of truth.

What felt like an ending was often preparation. What felt like loss was clearing space. What felt like confusion was the uncomfortable beginning of clarity. God doesn’t need perfect stability to write your next season—He only needs your willingness to turn the page.

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10

AROUND TOWN

Christmas in the Wards Founder, Larry Huggins DC Mad Hatter

Congressman Jonathan Jackson Cook Co. President, Toni Preckwinkle Mayor Brandon Johnson

Governor JB Pritzker

Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton

Congressman Raja Krisnamoorthi

Christmas in the Wards 2025 IL Sec of State Alexi Giannoulias Alderman Lamont Robinson President Toni Precksinkle

Pastor John Harrell & Cory Foster

The season of giving is upon us, and there’s no better time to celebrate the spirit of generosity, community, and hope that defines Chicago! This year, the 29th Annual Christmas in the Wards Spectacular, families, sponsors and community leaders were filled with excitement and gratitude for nearly three decades of serving families across Chicagoland.

Mayor Brandon Johnson

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The event’s Founder, Larry Huggins said, “This year, perhaps more than ever, we recognize how important it is to lift one another. In these trying times, supporting families with gifts, essentials, and moments of joy reminds us what the holidays are truly about—coming together to care for our neighbors and build a stronger community”.

Congratulations and Thank You for your service!

Cold-Weather Resets for Couples and Families CNW STAFF REPORT Winter in the Midwest has a quiet beauty that most of us rush past.

We scrape windshields, brace against the cold, and count down to spring, rarely stopping to notice how still everything becomes once the snow settles. Trees stand bare and sculptural.

Rivers slow. Trails empty. And in that stillness, something opens up.

For couples and families craving a reset, winter is not the season to hide indoors. It is the season to witness landscapes at their most dramatic, their most honest, their most breathtaking.

You do not need a plane ticket. You do not need a packed itinerary. You just need a few hours, a warm coat, and the willingness to see familiar places differently.

Why Winter Nature Trips Hit Different Cold-weather travel strips away distraction.

Without crowds, foliage, or noise, the land takes center stage. For families, this creates space for curiosity and shared discovery. For couples, it invites quiet connection, long conversations, and moments that feel uninterrupted.

Winter landscapes ask very little of you. Show up. Slow down. Take it in.

Starved Rock State Park, Illinois Starved Rock in winter is nothing short of cinematic. Frozen waterfalls cascade down canyon walls. Snow dusts towering sandstone cliffs. Trails wind through quiet forests where you can hear your own footsteps. It is one of the most accessible yet visually stunning winter destinations for Chicago-area travelers.

Families can explore shorter trails and overlooks, turning the day into an outdoor classroom. Couples can hike deeper into the park, stopping often just to look around.

Staying nearby allows you to return at different times of day, when the light shifts and the park feels almost ethereal.

This is one of those places that reminds you Illinois is far more beautiful than it gets credit for.

Matthiessen State Park, Illinois Often overshadowed by Starved Rock, Matthiessen is its quieter, equally stunning neighbor. In winter, it feels untouched.

Stone staircases descend into icy canyons.

Snow clings to rock formations that look carved by hand. The park feels intimate and dramatic at the same time.

For couples, it is perfect for slow exploration and photography. For families, the shorter loops and wide paths make it approachable while still feeling adventurous. If you are looking for beauty without crowds, this is it.

Apostle Islands Ice Caves, Wisconsin When conditions are right, the Apostle Islands ice caves are one of the most jaw-dropping winter sights in the Midwest.

Waves freeze mid-motion along sandstone cliffs. Icicles form cathedral-like walls. The lake becomes a frozen pathway to something that feels otherworldly.

This trip requires planning and safety awareness, but for families with older children or couples seeking a true winter spectacle, it is unforgettable. Even when the caves are not accessible, the surrounding area offers snowy shorelines and dramatic views worth the drive.

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This is winter at its most aweinspiring.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan Sleeping Bear Dunes in winter is quiet, expansive, and deeply peaceful.

Snow transforms the dunes into rolling white landscapes that meet the steel-blue waters of Lake Michigan. The contrast is striking.

The silence is grounding.

Families can explore scenic overlooks and short walks, while couples can take in sweeping views that feel almost meditative. Renting a nearby cabin or staying in a small town nearby allows you to fully lean into the calm.

Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio Hocking Hills is known for its waterfalls, and winter only amplifies the magic.

Frozen falls, ice-covered caves, and winding trails create a storybook setting that feels far removed from everyday life. Cabins tucked into the woods make this an ideal spot for couples and families looking to fully unplug.

Days are spent hiking and exploring. Nights are for fires, shared meals, and quiet reflection.

This is the kind of place where time slows without effort.

Making a Winter Nature Reset Work for You The key to cold-weather travel is simplicity. Choose one beautiful place and let it be enough.

Plan for: Shorter days and earlier sunsets Warm layers and waterproof boots One main activity per day Accommodations that feel cozy and inviting Winter nature trips are not about checking boxes. They are about standing still long enough to be moved.

In a season that often feels heavy, these landscapes offer perspective. They remind us that beauty does not disappear when things slow down. Sometimes, it becomes even clearer.

And for couples and families willing to step into the cold together, the Midwest has never looked more stunning.

FAMILY

The Bears’ Reckoning— What ’86 Teaches Us About 2025 MALACHI WEBSTER - STAFF WRITER The 1986 Chicago Bears weren't just a football team; they were a statement. Forty years later, we need to talk about whether the current iteration has the architecture to navigate a playoff gauntlet that looks nothing like what those heroes faced.

That '86 squad—the one that stomped New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX—possessed something contemporary rosters often lack: a unified identity so forceful that you could feel it in the stadium's bones. Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton. These weren't just names on a roster. They were manifestations of a specific kind of dominance, the kind that doesn't negotiate with mediocrity. The Bears outscored opponents 456-198 that season. They held the Patriots to negative yardage in the first half of the Super Bowl. This wasn't luck. This was systematic suffocation.

Fast forward to December 2025, and the Bears sit at 10-4, holding the No. 2 seed in the NFC. They've reclaimed the NFC North after a week of drama, positioning themselves for a playoff run that could take them through the LA Rams (11-3), the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers (both 11-3 and 104 respectively), the Philadelphia Eagles (9-5), and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad sitting at 7-7 that refuses to disappear. This isn't a two-round tournament. This is a five-round war against teams that know how to win in December.

Caleb Williams has shown flashes of franchise quarterback promise. D'Andre Swift provides ground game teeth. Rome Odunze demands defensive attention. But here's the thing: holding the No. 2 seed means you're not the team everyone fears. You're the team everyone thinks can be beaten if the circumstances align.

SPORTS

The '86 Bears didn't have that vulnerability baked into their construction.The current Bears do.

“The Rams clinched a playoff berth by dismantling Detroit, and they're hungry for the No. 1 seed. Matthew Stafford's arm talent combined with Sean McVay's offensive architecture has produced something lethal.

The Seahawks and 49ers are NFC West teams playing in November and December form—the kind of football that doesn't care about September predictions.

Geno Smith has Seattle moving with purpose. The 49ers, despite injuries, still possess the blueprint for suffocating defense that won Super Bowls before parity became fashionable.

Then there's the Eagles, sitting at 9-5 in the NFC East, and they just blew a 21-point lead at home to the Cowboys— their largest collapse since 1999. That's not a team with confidence. That's a team that knows it can implode, and playoff opponents smell that blood in the water like sharks.

The question the Bears need to answer isn't whether they can beat the Packers this Saturday. It's whether they have the psychological infrastructure to survive a five-team gauntlet where any mistake becomes a season-ender. The '86 Bears had Walter Payton. They had Jim McMahon, a quarterback who played with reckless intelligence. They had Buddy Ryan's defensive architecture—chaos weaponized into strategy.

The 2025 Bears need to figure out something in these final three weeks that championship teams understand: you can't be the second-best team at anything. Not quarterback play. Not defensive intensity. Not decisionmaking in high-leverage moments. The Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers are all teams that have been through this.

They've seen their Super Bowl windows open and close.

They know what it costs.

The Bears, for all their potential, still carry the weight of being a team that doubts itself when the moment demands absolute conviction. That's the gap between 10-4 and what it actually takes to hoist a Lombardi Trophy in this NFC. The '86 Bears didn't apologize for who they were. The current Bears need to stop hedging bets and start making statements—not just against the Packers, but against everyone coming for them in January.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The $42 Million Hole: Johnson’s Tax Gambit and the City’s Slow Bleed SUBMISSION FROM JORDAN WEBBER Mayor Brandon Johnson’s progressive vision for Chicago keeps colliding with a reality that no rhetorical flourish can resolve: the city is running out of money, and the bills keep arriving.

The City Council is currently wrestling with a $42 million budget gap for 2026.

That’s not an abstract number. That’s your street’s pothole not getting filled.

That’s youth job programming getting cut. That’s libraries operating with skeletal hours. Earlier this year, Johnson pushed for what critics called a “head tax”—a levy on corporations based on the number of employees they maintain in the city.

Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, himself no stranger to controversy, once labeled such a tax a “job killer.” The City Council rejected it outright.

The optics matter here, but the substance matters more. Citadel, the multibilliondollar financial firm that once employed 1,100 people in Chicago, has relocated the bulk of its operations to Miami and New York. They’re down to 200 employees in the city. Ken Griffin, the founder, has been public about his grievances: high taxes, crime, deteriorating infrastructure.

Whether you think he’s justified or whether you see it as wealthy capital abandoning a city that’s asking it to contribute, the end result is the same—job losses, reduced tax revenue, a smaller base to fund municipal services.

The Finance industry in Illinois has contracted 2.7 percent since Griffin’s exodus. In a city that birthed the modern futures industry in the late 1800s, that’s not just a statistic. It’s a symbolic gutting of institutional memory.

The real cost of these budget games? It’s diffused across the entire city.

It’s not centralized enough that any single neighborhood can organize against it. It’s the kind of slow-motion deprivation that reshapes communities over years, not months.

The Council’s current path forward involves a bag tax—yes, a tax on plastic and paper bags—and advertisements on bridge houses. These are creative bandaids on a structural wound. They’re not solving the problem; they’re performing the appearance of problem-solving for the next news cycle.

What nobody wants to admit in these budget meetings is that the fundamental contradiction in Chicago politics is finally becoming impossible to ignore: you cannot simultaneously drastically cut taxes on corporations and wealth, maintain premium-level municipal services, and expect the working- and middle-class residents who remain to shoulder the load. That’s not budget management. That’s a choice.

Johnson inherited a city already in fiscal distress. But his messaging—promising expanded services, youth programs, infrastructure investment—has created expectations that the revenue base simply cannot support. It’s a version of the classic political trap: promise what voters want to hear, then discover that the math was never your friend.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Holiday Arts & Culture Guide: Exhibitions, Theater and Events Fill Chicago’s Winter Calendar KAI EL ZABAR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A holiday favorite is finally here for your enjoyment and delight — The Nutcracker is playing throughout December 2025 in Chicago. Major productions include The Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House (Dec. 5–28) and Ballet Chicago at the Athenaeum Center (Dec. 12–14). Additional versions — including The Hip Hop Nutcracker — are being staged in nearby areas, offering a range of dates, venues, and styles for this beloved holiday classic.

Major Productions in Chicago The Nutcracker | Joffrey Ballet Celebrating 10 Years of Magic The Joffrey Ballet — A visually stunning reimagining set at the 1893 World’s Fair Where: Lyric Opera House (Civic Opera House) When: December 5–28, 2025 Ballet Chicago — A traditional production Where: Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture (2936 N. Southport Ave.) When: December 12–14, 2025 Other Performances Schaumburg Dance Ensemble Where: Prairie Center for the Arts (Schaumburg) When: Select dates in December The DuSable will also host two holiday-season events: “Mothership Connected” Book Signing & Conversation, featuring Seth Neblett and Marcus Chapman on December 6 and 14. The 32nd Annual Glitz Holiday Masquerade, a fundraising gala supporting the museum’s educational programming.

Theatrical Movies Releases During the Hoildays The holiday season in Chicago is packed with major new releases and the return of classic festive films.1Here are the must-see theatrical movies scheduled for release or special screenings during the holiday season in Chicago: Major New Wide Releases (December 2025) These are the films scheduled to open wide in theaters and will likely be the biggest box office draws: Avatar: Fire and Ash, a Sci-Fi/Action/Fantasy opens December 19, 2025The next highly-anticipated chapter in James Cameron's Avatar saga. Look for it in premium formats like IMAX and 3D. The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePantsAnimated/Family/Adventure opens December 19, 2025A major animated feature for the whole family, following SpongeBob and Patrick on their biggest adventure yet.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2. Thriller/Horror opens December 5, 2025. The sequel to the hugely successful video game adaptation.Marty SupremeDrama/PrestigeDecember 25, 2025A prestige drama about the music industry, often mentioned for awards season buzz.

Anaconda (Reboot), A Horror/Creature Feature open s December 25, 2025. A new take on the survival horror creature feature.

The Housemaid, A psychological Thriller Mid- opens December 2025. This tense thriller is getting strong buzz for the season.

Classic Holiday Film Screenings: Chicago theaters, especially independent venues, traditionally bring back beloved classics for special holiday showings: The 42nd Annual Music Box Christmas Sing-A-Long & Double Feature: The Music Box Theatre often hosts its tradition of showings for $3 "It's A Wonderful Life" and "White Christmas", complete with a sing-a-long.

NOTE: "Home Alone": "Dr. Seuss' and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000): Look for special screenings of these family favorites at various theaters and sometimes drive-ins like ChiTown Movies for $7 "The Polar Express:"- Often screened at locations like the Alamo Drafthouse.

"The Muppet Christmas Carol" is sometimes shown on 35mm film at specialty theaters Live-to-Film/Arts Screenings.

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HEALTHY LIVING Dr. Keisa House Saving One Life at A Time CANDI MCCRARY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dr. Keisha Nicole House is often referred to as the ‘real Dr. House, in contrast to the fictional tv series “Dr. Gregory House, a genius doctor on the tv series “House at fictional Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, who tackles health mysteries as would a medical Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Keisha House, according to CBS is a powerhouse, taking on the task of ridding communities of ‘substance abuse disorder.’

The Family Nurse Practitioner with Full Practice Authority earned her Doctor and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from Chamberlain University, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Xavier University. Currently, she serves as Assistant Director for the Substance Abuse Disorder Center of Excellence at Rush University Medical Center, and Program Director of the Rush Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Fellowship ECHO Programs.

Dr. House explains her inspiration as one that has, “always moved her to be a primary caretaker of some sort.”

She says, the pursuit is personal.

Referencing her childhood that went from a middle-class family living in a wonderful spacious home in a middleclass neighborhood, to suddenly living in the projects in the 80’s when the crack epidemic peaked in Chicago.

Unbeknownst to her, several family members had become substance abusers, thus the family’s fall in status.

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More poignant and relevant is how the circumstances impacted her physically experiencing pain for which there was no immediate solution. Her family had no clue. It was assumed that it was just what she was experiencing but as she later learned it was the substance abuse disorder, which has its list of symptoms like chronic diseases such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, Chronic Kidney Disease, Arthritis, Obesity, Liver Disease, Depression, etc.,often linked to behavioral risks like tobacco, poor diet, and inactivity, impacting quality of life and causing significant mortality. Substance abuse disorder most often becomes very painful the same as being a substance abuser experiences if they attempt to detox on their own. She explains that the body rebels demanding what it has become accustomed to and yearns. A user may feel muscle convulsions, vomiting, urination, diarrhea, and excruciating pain throughout the body. All of these can be the reason why substance abuse users choose to use, just to stop the pain. If you’ve ever asked, why don’t they just stop?

That’s why.”

She is on a mission to reach the people where they are. House says she goes where people congregate and talk to each other like church, the beauty shop and barber shop and other situations that bring people together. She says, “People need to know that because they have an addiction does not make them a terrible person, that if they really want to heal they can.” She urges us to have empathy over judgement when it comes to substance abuse users.

Her work is all about arming people with information whether they are the spouse, brother, mother, or the user with information that can help save their lives. She wants them to know that they have choices and that there’s only one end to substance abuse if continued.

Today’s environment with the use of all sorts of prescription drugs and the usual mothers to be find themselves addicted during their pregnancy which means that they need special care for themselves and baby growing in their womb.

So, when Dr. House says that she shares knowledge and information that can save lives, she means it.

Saturday, December 20th she is presenting a perinatal OUD Symposium for healthcare professionals focused on substance use issues during pregnancy and the prenatal period. The day starts at 8 am and ends at 4:30 pm at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine, West Tower at 1853West Polk 2nd fl Irvin Auditorium.

a.I The Answer Is..

Today’s American news presents the many shenanigans of the current administration. From war and the negotiation of peace in Israel and Gaza to attempts to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, to questions surrounding war crimes, the Epstein Files, and the possibility of American war crimes committed by the U.S. military, to criminalized ICE raids carried out by the Immigration Department, to the President’s failed cases brought against Comey and Letitia James—and finally, his accusation that the “affordability” issue is a “con” created by Democrats.

So today, we’re going to examine what a con or a hoax actually is, explain their interconnection and distinctions, and explore the family of related words that share similar meanings.

Con (Confidence Trick) A con—short for confidence trick or confidence game—is a scheme designed to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. The victim, often called the “mark,” is persuaded to hand over money, property, or valuable information based on a false promise of future gain or an invented emergency.

Key Feature: Manipulation of the victim’s trust and vulnerability.

Goal: Financial gain for the trickster (the “con artist” or “grifter”).

Example: The Nigerian Prince scam, or someone impersonating an inspector to access a home.

Hoax

A con is a type of fraud focused on financial gain and trust manipulation, typically one-on-one or within a small group.

How They All Connect

A hoax is a type of trickery aimed at the public, designed to shape belief or perception

Deception/Deceit — the parent concept.

Related Words and Shared Meanings

A hoax is a humorous or malicious deception designed to make people believe something that is false.

Several words fall under the broader umbrella of deception, fraud, or trickery:

Key Feature: The deception itself and the public presentation of a falsehood.

Fraud: Intentional deception for personal or financial gain. A con is a form of fraud.

Goal: To fool a broad audience —often for notoriety, shock, influence, or amusement rather than direct financial theft.

Scam: A dishonest or deceptive scheme; nearly interchangeable with con.

Example: The myth of the Loch Ness Monster, or a fabricated announcement intended to mislead the media.

Interconnection: Deception at the Core The root connection between a con and a hoax is deception— the act of causing someone to believe something untrue. .

Prank: A mischievous trick performed for amusement; a hoax in miniature.

Flimflam: Deceptive or nonsensical talk; persuasive language often used in cons.

Gimmick: A clever device or scheme meant to attract attention; can function as the “hook” in both cons and hoaxes.

Deceit: The act of concealing or misrepresenting the truth; the foundation of all the above.

You can imagine the relationships like this:

Fraud and Trickery — two major branches.

Con — a financial, trust-based form of fraud.

Hoax — a public, belief-based form of trickery.

Scam — a practical synonym for con.

Flimflam and Gimmick — tools used in both.

They occupy different points on the spectrum of deception, defined by motive (financial vs. social/notoriety) and scope (individual vs. public).

When leaders casually label genuine problems as “cons,” or dismiss facts as “hoaxes,” the public risks losing its ability to distinguish truth from trickery.

That confusion is not accidental —it is the oldest tool in the deceiver’s playbook.

Understanding the language of deception gives us the power to recognize it, call it out, and refuse to become the mark in someone else’s game.

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIP The Breakup Tax: Things You Can Expect and Should Not Expect to Keep After a Breakup LAURA MILLER - MANAGING EDITOR It is my firm belief that in the event of a breakup, the first thing you owe yourself, and eventually will receive, is the lesson.

That lesson does not always arrive immediately. Sometimes it shows up weeks later. Sometimes months later. Sometimes only after the emotional fog clears. But with time and clarity, you should be able to understand how it started versus how it ended. What you asked for versus what you received. And perhaps most importantly, what you accepted.

The timeline for this varies from person to person, but the lesson should always be at the top of the menu.

Grace If a breakup is not marred by physical or emotional violence, one should try their best, even in pain, to leave with grace.

You chose this person. Not just once, but repeatedly. At one point, you cared deeply for them as a human being. That truth does not disappear simply because the relationship failed.

As emotions rise and the waters get muddy, grace matters.

Every breakup does not have to end like the season finale of a prime time drama. Sometimes it can end with the understanding that it simply did not work. Wishing someone well, even with a broken heart, is not easy. But it allows you to heal without the added weight of knowing you could have behaved better and chose not to.

What You Should Take When You Leave In situations where you were living together, you should leave with your largest purchases and your most personal belongings.

Too often, a relationship expires and one person is left with nothing but the clothes on their back and a toothbrush. Even in divorce, assets are divided. So why does fairness suddenly disappear in long term relationships?

Taking everything usually has nothing to do with necessity. It is often a cortisol driven reaction rooted in hurt and pettiness. Do not take all the towels. Do not take every plate. If you know your former partner still needs certain basics, leave some behind.

Grace still applies here.

Karma does not always show up immediately, but it has a precise memory. If you empty someone out emotionally and materially, do not be surprised if life offers you the same lesson later, only this time from the other side.

Even if they cheated.

Even if they hurt you.

Even if they disappointed you deeply.

The debt should be equitable, not vindictive.

What You Will Not Get to Keep There are things no breakup allows you to keep, no matter how badly you want them.

You do not get to keep the version of them you hoped they would become.

You do not get to keep the future you imagined but never lived.

You do not get continued access to their time, their explanations, or their emotional labor.

Closure is not something another person gives you. It is something you build through honesty, reflection, and acceptance.

What You Do Get to Keep What often goes unnoticed is what you actually gain.

You get to keep the lesson.

You get to keep your dignity.

You get to keep clearer standards and stronger boundaries.

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You get to keep the wisdom earned through disappointment.

If you leave with your integrity intact, you leave richer than you think.

The Real Cost Every breakup comes with a tax. You pay in grief, discomfort, and adjustment. But what you gain is discernment.

The goal is not to leave unscathed.

The goal is to leave unaltered in your integrity.

This is where I pause, not where the conversation ends. Part two is on the way. In the meantime, tell me your thoughts. What do you think the breakup tax really is?

FOOD & WINE Holiday’s Classic Glazed Ham MARE EVANS - STAFF WRITER Holidays are a time of celebration—right up there with birthdays, weddings, graduations, and all the rest of the milestones we collect and create along our life paths. But the traditions we know best are Thanksgiving, which just passed, and Christmas, which is already on the horizon. The cooks of the family are planning menus, reserving their choice cuts of meat, and sorting out guest lists.

It’s a big deal..

In our family, the men are the chefs, and boy, can they throw down in the kitchen. Three brothers and a father, plus uncles and cousins. Let me tell you, they treat the holidays like annual competition dates—just like the sports playoffs. It’s something to see. They’re pretty amazing. Anyway, turkey just glazed us recently, so I’m not in the loop on what the boys have chosen for the feast this time, but I’m looking forward to it.

I thought I might be able to influence them a bit and email them all suggesting a glazed ham. I treaded lightly, reminding them that ham has been off the list for some time now. I can’t remember the last time we had ham for Christmas or any holiday. So… wish me luck! Anyway, I am the recipe keeper, and I do cook—but as I’ve shared, the men in the family are the chefs.

A glorious glazed ham is a timeless centerpiece for any holiday table. So, I highly recommend considering ham as the foundation of the main course for one of your holiday meals.

Ingredients 1 (8- to 10-pound) bone-in spiral-cut ham 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup honey ½ cup Dijon mustard 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

…Add Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms For an elegant appetizer, try these savory, cheesy crab-stuffed mushrooms. You’ll need mushrooms, cream cheese, lump crab meat, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

To make them, preheat your oven to 375°F. Prepare the mushrooms by wiping them clean, removing the stems, and placing the caps on a baking sheet. Mix the crab, cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl to create the filling. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps, top with extra Parmesan, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

And Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Pecans

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Instructions 1. Bake the ham: Preheat the oven to 275°F. Wrap the ham tightly in aluminum foil and place it in a roasting pan. Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers at least 120°F (about 15–20 minutes per pound).

2. Make the glaze: While the ham bakes, combine the brown sugar, honey, mustard, butter, and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

3. Glaze and finish: Remove the ham from the oven, unwrap it, and brush generously with the warm glaze, working it between the slices. Return the uncovered ham to the oven and bake at 425°F for about 30 minutes more, until the glaze is caramelized and sticky.

I know you may have just had sweet potato something for Thanksgiving, but this sweet and savory casserole—with its contrasting textures—is a holiday favorite.

You’ll need sweet potatoes, eggs, white sugar, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and salt for the base. The topping requires brown sugar, flour, butter, chopped pecans, and mini marshmallows.

To prepare, boil and mash the sweet potatoes. Combine the mashed potatoes with the other base ingredients in a large bowl, then transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients (except the marshmallows) until crumbly, then sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake at 325°F for 30 minutes, then add the marshmallows and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden.

Scoring Style Points During Winter CL BLACKBURN- STAFF WRITER The winter season has brought the snow, hats, gloves, heavy coats, and below zero temperatures, so the challenge is as it has always been, how to dress fashionably to remain stylish and beautiful! It’s really not as easy a feat as you may think. Unless you have a heated garage, or a garage will do where you can warm up the car or a driver, before leaving home, the onerous task of dressing to stay warm is a major assignment to deliver.

The celebrities have the heated ride and driver covered, but what about you?

What you wear to fit the bill is challenging. Remember when you would wear layers of clothing to keep your body heat fueled? Well, the winter weather has not changed. There may be warmer days than fridget cold days, but the cold days still demand the same amount of attention. .

Clothing to consider for winter dressing to maintain your style includes cashmere, wool, and flannel sweaters, shirts, skirts, jackets, pants and hats.

Proper coats to consider are goose down, wool and fur.

How to make it work The Core Layering System The best way to manage warmth and moisture (sweat) is to use three layers: Base Layer (Next-to-Skin) Purpose: To wick sweat away from your skin. Dry skin stays warm; wet skin gets chilled quickly.

Must-Have Items: Thermal Tops and Bottoms (Long Underwear): These should be snug fitting.

Best Materials: Merino wool or synthetics (like polyester/Heattech) are excellent choices. Avoid cotton, as it holds moisture and makes you cold.

FASHION

Must-Have Items: High-Quality Winter Coat/Parka: Look for one that is windproof and waterresistant. Down or heavy-duty syntheticfill coats are ideal for the coldest weather.

Waterproof/Windproof Shell Jacket: This can be a lighter layer to throw over your insulation on a milder but wet or windy day.

EssentialAccessories(Extremities) You lose a lot of heat through your head, hands, and feet, so covering them is nonnegotiable.

BodyPart Must haves: Head: Covering for head & ears –wool or fleece-lined synthetics are best.

Consider a balaclava or neck gaiter for extreme cold and wind.

Hands & neck: Mittens or gloves. Mittens are generally warmer than gloves because your fingers share heat. Look for waterproof material and insulation.

Neck:Athickwool or cashmere scarf or a fleece/wool neck gaiter helps trap heat that escapes from your collar.

Feet: a. thick wool socks (like Smartwool or similar) are essential. Again, avoid cotton socks entirely; a.) Choose boots with good traction for snow/ice and adequate insulation. They must be waterproof to keep your feet dry.

Staywarm while looking good!

Mid Layer (Insulation) Purpose: To trap your body heat and act as an insulator.

Must-Have Items: Fleece Jacket/Pullover: Affordable, warm, and dries quickly.

Wool Sweater/Cardigan: Natural wool (like merino or cashmere) is very warm.

Puffy Vest or Lightweight Down/Synthetic Jacket: Provides significant warmth without a lot of bulk, great for layering.

Best Materials: Fleece, down (for the best warmth-to-weight ratio), or synthetic insulation.

OuterLayer(Shell) Purpose: To shield you from wind and precipitation (rain, snow). This is your protection from the elements.

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