Kathy Connolly started writing her Green & Growing column for us more than 10 years ago to help share what she knew about her area of expertise and as part of launching her business.

“It quickly became a big part of my education,” she says. One of her college professors used to say to her, “Writing is a way of knowing,” and that is what she discovered. “I have never forgotten his words, which have provided some of the energy to produce more than 160 articles since 2013.”

In addition to helping educate us about the natural world in which we live, she is also helping to engage us in a critical part of our lives in a pivotal moment in history. “If we don’t understand plants’ central role in all life, it’s hard to properly understand what we must do individually and as a society going forward.”

Connolly, who lives in Old Saybrook, is just one of our many talented and generous freelancers who contribute to the pages of the Living section of this newspaper each week. Whether it’s the weeds in our own backyard or rising sea levels around the world, they help us understand how our lives, lived locally, connect with each other and the world at large.

As I look back at this past year, which was admittedly a difficult one for this newspaper — as with many newspapers, we are dealing with constant budget cuts — working with these freelancers and reading their work was one of the highlights of my year. I hope that was true for you, too. So I took some time at the end of last year to ask them why they write. This is what they told me.

The Richness Of Our Lives

Karen Isaacs, who lives in East Haven, is our longtime theater reviewer and writer who has been working with us for almost two decades. She also is a performer, a singer who understands what it takes to get up in front of an audience. She says she writes and sings for the same reason: “It is part of who I am,” she says. “If I don’t, I miss it.”

She is drawn to writing about theater specifically because she understands how it contributes to the richness of our lives. “We see other people, other times, other situations and, from these, we become more aware. It doesn’t matter if it is a light comedy or a tragedy; we take something away from it that makes us more human,” she says. “Because of that, I want to share this with others with the hope that my writing will encourage them to explore the amazing world of theater.”

Lisa Nee, who lives in Madison, writes an occasional column for us called “Such is Life.” She writes in part because she is a lifelong voracious reader. When I asked her why she writes, she remembered the effect that stories had on her as a kid, including the stories of Bambi, Louisa May Alcott, and Annie Oakley. “I believed authors were magicians who, without suspecting, could make me laugh, pop my eyes with wonder, and bring characters and places into my life with the turn of a page,” she says. “I also found reading a little terrifying because I am an empathetic reader. My mother would sometimes find me in the closet heaving full-body sobs in response to Bambi’s mother dying or Beth’s last breath.”

The Roulette Wheel Of Words

Why was she tucked away in the closet? “I knew if my brother found me, the teasing would never end.” Still, she thought, “... if I could ever put words into a particular order to enhance someone’s life with a smile, a sniffle, or a bit of awe. I should do it. So when the roulette wheel of words clicks into place, I need to write it down and, when appropriate, share it.”

Juliana Gribbins, our Shoreline Living columnist, is motivated to write because she loves a good story. “Whether it’s hearing one, living one, or writing one, a good story always makes my day,” she says.

Rita Christopher, who recently moved to Madison, writes our “Because You Didn’t Ask” column. She says she loves to write. “Not that it is easy for me–it is not–but it is the way I can make readers part of my world,” she says.

Liz Egan, who lives in Clinton, is our “Recipes for Life” columnist. She suffered the loss of her husband this year, a tragedy that might have stalled out some writers. But she not only kept going, she learned from her grief and generously passed those lessons on to us. It helps, she says, for her, writing is fun. It helps keep her connected to others, of course, but also to her own life. “It helps me recognize and celebrate the moments of every day, past or present,” she says.

We were pleased to welcome to our team Jillian Simms, who lives in Old Saybrook, when she launched her “Apron Strings” column in March. She writes to reflect and remember. “I write to find humor in the mundane. I write to look within and to reach out,” she says.

Building Community

One of our newest columnists, Sean Gargamelli-McCreight, who lives in Guilford, writes about area farms and farmers in his column “Homegrown.” We welcomed him to our team in November. He is part of the Benincasa Community, which partners with local organizations, churches, and school groups to help spread the word about sustainable community-based food production. The community also helps grow and deliver free, healthy, organic produce to those in need. He writes because it helps build community.

“I write because I have found building community to be the strongest antidote to many ails in life, personally and politically,” he says. “The opportunity to share and be shared with by folks who are different than me is paramount for learning about one another and strengthening our bonds as humans, farmers, workers, and neighbors on this glorious planet.”

Here are some highlights from their writing from this past year:

Kathy Connolly:

Karen Isaacs:

Karen Isaacs wrote this column that includes information about what to look for in 2024:” Holidays on the Stage and a Look at 2024.” (www.zip06.com/living/20231130/holidays-on-the-stage-and-a-look-at-2024/)

Lisa Nee

Lisa Nee took a close look at gifts, including those we receive year round, at the end of last year: “That's a Gift!” (https://www.zip06.com/living/20231215/thats-a-gift/)

Julie Gribbins

Rita Christopher

Liz Egan:

Jillian Simms

Sean Gargamelli-McCreight