On the Subject of Changes

By April Pyles: It has been said that the only thing that never changes is change itself. That may be true for the most part, as members of the Point Pleasant Writers Guild recently demonstrated when sharing their essays on the subject of Changes. The exception, however, according to Scriptures of the Judeo-Christian faith, is the Immutability of God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. April Pyles wrote on the recent changes regarding local newspapers which have been purchased by WV News The “Gallipolis Tribune” and the “Daily Sentinel” were combined and renamed “River Cities Tribune.” The “Point Pleasant Register” is now called “River Cities Register.” In addition, both papers will only be published once a week, received in the mail, and the subscription cost has changed. Of course, it is generally known that the internet has been replacing the printed page for some time, so this comes as a shock but no surprise. As both writers and readers, we must support the newspaper industry or lose it. “Changes of Life,” written by Will Jeffers, relates how he has trouble dealing with change, even when his wife rearranges the furniture. Now that his son has gotten married over the summer, even bigger changes are in store for him. However, as Will told his son, he will always be there for him, and there’s no changing that. Phil Heck wrote on changes he has noticed during his years on earth. For one, he used to be able to count the cars that passed his home. Now, there’s just too many on the road to do that anymore. Women in politics is another change from his earlier years. He claims they put a different slant on certain issues than men have done in the past. Change is inevitable but not always welcomed. Patrecia Gray returned home to attend a cousin’s funeral and she wrote about all the changes she noticed: how the church and people’s appearances had changed with age, how once-familiar landmarks are missing, how it used to be to drive up hills in cars that had stick shifts, etc. Time changes everything in the physical world in which we live. Woody Moore shared his poem, “Classics,” in which he lists his books written by Shakespeare and others but he also keeps a copy of “Casey at the Bat.” Marilyn Clarke paid tribute to her father-in-law for Father’s Day.

Dr. Mel Simon visits the Point Pleasant Writers Guild. At a recent meeting of the Point Pleasant Writers Guild, members were pleased to have as their guest, Dr. Mel Simon, author of “By the Banks of the Ohio,” which was published in 2021. Joining him was his wife, Lydia, and their friends, Dr. Roy and Mea Enrico. Before hearing from Dr. Mel, as he likes to be called, Guild members shared their thoughts on how newspapers can be used once they have been read. Marilyn Clarke wrote “Newspapers, What Are They Good For?” She used old newspapers to wrap Christmas decorations in once Christmas was over and everything had to be boxed up for another year. Also, in the fall, she collects a few papers and wraps sweet potatoes in them. Other things they are good for include ripening tomatoes, unscrewing a broken light bulb, and cleaning your barbeque. Carol Newberry wrote her list as a short story, “Newspapers” in which a woman cleans out an attic belonging to her recently deceased mother. When she comes across a stack of newspapers, she wonders what she should do with them---donate them to a local school for making works of art with paper mache or to a neighbor for keeping the weeds in his garden under control? In the end, she used them to make paper logs for the fireplace, probably what her mother had done as well. For April Pyles, she remembers lining her bird’s cage with newspapers and believes that animal shelters are always in need of papers to line the cages there. From a tip on the uses of vinegar, her husband soaked some papers with vinegar and surrounded his watermelon plants with them to keep the cats away. Patrecia Gray made a list of 23 uses, some of which included to help build fires, to fill extra space in boxes containing breakable items, and speaking as a nurse, using in emergency when delivering a baby. Evidently, the insides of newspapers are mostly sterile until opened for reading. Who knew? In his opening remarks, Dr. Mel mentioned that it was by reading the newspaper that he learned of the Point Pleasant Writers Guild and was informed as to when and where he could attend our meetings. He also reviewed a few of our articles, which he could read on his cell phone, and mentioned members by name and what they had written in the past. How’s that for PR for the Guild by our Guest Speaker and a plug for newspapers at the same time? Dr. Mel then introduced his newest book, “By the Banks of the Ohio,” a sequel to his first book, “Two Rivers A World Apart.” The first book covers his growing-up years in the Philippines, training to be a doctor, coming to America, starting his family and moving to Gallipolis, Ohio where he still lives today. The second book, he explained, was to fill in details of the past and present…to connect the dots, so to speak. Also, as his son, Paul, told him, if he wrote a book about his World War II experiences, he wouldn’t have to tell them over and over. Sadly, Paul has passed from this Valley, but he will live forever in the hearts of his family and friends and within the pages of his father’s books. As an extra treat for the Guild, Paul’s mother-in-law, Bartolomea B. Agatep-Enrico, also called Mea, reviewed her autobiography, “Under His Wings,” which can be purchased on Amazon.com. Her life’s story contains many miracles and how she realized three of her dreams: becoming a nurse, marrying a doctor and living in America. Like Dr. Mel and Lydia, Mea and her husband grew up in the Philippine Islands. She and Dr. Roy make their home in California, except for the summer months, which finds them with their daughter, Dr. Agnes Enrico-Simon, and grandson, Jacob, at the Old Town Farm north of Point Pleasant.