Looking back to see ahead

 

We have come to that time of year where the rearview mirror and windshield collide.

The end of the year is when we reflect on that past and plan for the future. It seems kind of contradictory to be looking back while looking ahead, but it helps to know where you’ve been in order to see where you’re going.

This past year has had its ups and downs but has generally been very good for me personally and professionally. I’ve completed my first full year back in daily newspapers since 2008. In my role as a reporter, I don’t have to be the chief cook and bottle washer that was at weekly newspapers in the intervening years. Being able to focus on writing has been reinvigorating without all of the management and production duties I’ve had elsewhere.

Photography remains my passion, and this job has given me ample opportunity to click away when need be. I’ve been able to report on a lot of triumphs and tragedy in 2025. I’ve covered the grassroots effort to stop the Inner Loop East highway that was to be built around Bryan and College Station. I’ve covered a murder, a murder-suicide, another very public suicide, and the fire that destroyed the iconic Harvey Washbangers. I had the somber honor of covering the funeral of Navasota Police Sgt. Mark Butler, who gave his life to save others from a wrong-way driver who was fleeing from police.

I got to cover the reopening of the Chicken Oil Co., several groundbreakings, elections, the Bryan ISD bond election, the mini monster truck built by Bryan students, and more government meetings than I can shake a stick at. OK, government meetings are not exciting, but they are important.

Recently, photographer Meredith Seaver and I got to do a ridealong/walkalong with the College Station Police Department to see what they go through on a Saturday night in Northgate after an Aggie football game. That was an exhilarating and memorable experience.

I also got to photograph most of the home football games for the Aggies this year, not with the newspaper but with a photo service called Image of Sport. I’ve photographed pro football and small colleges before, but this was my first experience with a Division I school. It was a very different experience, and I enjoyed being a part of A&M’s 11-0 run to start the season.

Personally, this year held a lot of highs and lows. I underwent three surgeries in 14 months, had to strengthen the prescription of my glasses and got hearing aids. Not fun! On the other hand, I’m alive, healthy and recovering. I’ve got some new scars, so now all I need are some great stories to go with them.

Sandy and I celebrated 26 years together this year and I marked my 60th birthday. We found out for Christmas that our oldest son got married. Last spring the baby of our family graduated from Texas A&M and left the nest. Speaking of the nest, ours is well feathered. We have a hobby farm at home that currently has 30 chickens, 12 ducks and a goose named Duckie. Oh, and we have three rabbits and are looking to buy more.

Luke, our middle son, got engaged this year to Sammy Owen. They will get married on July 7, which brings me to the windshield of 2026. The wedding is undoubtedly the biggest thing we have to look forward to in the coming year.

It’s going to be very hard to predict what will happen in the next 12 months, but I’m trying to be optimistic. I am keeping my tradition alive of predicting that I will finish writing my book about Texas Revolution reenactors. I’ve been predicting it for 10 years now, so here’s hoping it finally happens.

I’m also trying to remain optimistic about the direction our country will take, but so far the mean orange narcissist living in what’s left of the White House isn’t giving me much reason for hope. I’ll write more about that at a later date. In the meantime, we bid a fond farewell to 2025 and I wish each of you all the best as we head into 2026. Happy New Year, everyone!