Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers! The most important love is self-love, so give yourself a big hug and tell yourself how cute you are. It’s true.
LESSONS FROM 65 YEARS OF MARRIAGE
Sixty-five years. What a dream. Atlanta couple Betty and Glenn Madison met in 1957 when they were both teenagers. They quickly became inseparable, and they’ve been so ever since. I love their story of young romance and growing up and relocating to Georgia, of embracing changes of fate and treating each other well. How do they do it? Forgiveness and understanding.
- Betty: “We are not perfect, we make mistakes. But God makes the difference. It is how we have stayed married for 65 years.”
- Glenn: “One thing our kids can say is they’ve never seen or heard us argue once. If 80% of the relationship is on the up and up, forget about the 20%.”
💘 READ MORE: How music, faith and classic cars defined their love story
THE PEACE MONKS COMPLETE THEIR JOURNEY
The group of Buddhist monks traveling on foot from Texas to Washington, D.C., have completed their remarkable “Walk for Peace.”
Their 108-day, 2,300-mile journey took them through the heart of the South, from Texas to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and finally Washington.
You likely know someone who went out to watch the men walk by. From all I’ve heard, it was an experience that transcends religions and cultures.
🪷 PHOTOS: The monks walk through Atlanta
🧡 READ MORE: The procession got the ‘rock star treatment’ in Decatur
ANIMAL ATTRACTION
If you read our weekday newsletter A.M. ATL (which you should), you may have seen this one already — but it is so cute I couldn’t resist. The AJC’s Danielle Charbonneau learned more about Atlanta’s cutest animal couples, from expectant armadillo parents to a pair of very chill vultures. The animals’ keepers also shared where the lovers would spend an imaginary first date:
- Fiddy Cent and Wacka Flocka, the wattled cranes: out dancing
- Persephone and Finnegan, the southern three-banded armadillos: digging in the sand together
- Millie and Billie, the goats: an all-you-can-eat salad bar
- Taz and Brogan, the foxes: the historic Hapeville Dwarf House Chick-fil-A (what excellent regional taste they have!)
💞 READ MORE: Yes, the photos are all adorable
MORE LOVEY DOVEY GOODNESS
- An Atlanta couple reenacts their first movie theater date in 1959
- New romance novels to spice up your Valentine season
- The trait Georgia’s strongest couples have in common
- Why Galentine’s Day is good for your health
SIPS FROM AROUND THE SOUTH
💚 New Orleans, LA: Meet one of the coolest Krewes at New Orleans Mardi Gras. The Re-Cyclists Marching Krewe helps clean up after carnival festivities, and spreads the good news of waste management. Leave it to New Orleans to turn cleaning into its own party. More from NOLA.com
💙 Port Allen, LA: An 84-year-old veteran was having a hard time and needed to clean up his property to stay on good terms with the city. His neighbors, including a local police officer and two dozen contract companies, helped him get a fresh new start. More from WBRZ
🩵 Atlanta, GA: Meet John Bailey, the Air Force vet and former Delta pilot who founded the Delta Dream Flight, an aviation program to show young Black students the joys, challenges and history of flight. More from the AJC
🩷 Albany, GA: A single mom of three moved in to a brand-new donated house. “I could not have dreamed this,” Salisia Pascoe said. Her story is a good example of how hardworking people still need help. She works as a truck driver and is often on the road. Not an easy job at all, and now she can enjoy a more stable life with her family. More from WALB
💜 Nashville, TN: The Jefferson Street Sound Museum and the Museum of Christian and Gospel Music were added to the historic U.S. Civil Rights Trail, which features more than 130 stops across the country. Leaders say the inclusion helps preserve history and celebrate the range of Civil Rights contributors. More from The Tennessee Tribune
TELL US SOMETHING GOOD
Is there a cool event we need to know about? Something great happening in your town? Let us know. This is your space, too. SweetTea@ajc.com.
SOUTHERN WISDOM
Be where your feet are. Enjoy the idea as much as you enjoy the creation of your idea.
A Charleston poet shared his thoughts on being a Grammy-nominated wordsmith with South Carolina Public Radio.
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About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
