A Penny for Your Thoughts: December 14-20, 2023

In Monday’s “other paper,” longtime Washington Post columnist John Kelly announced that he will retire from writing his almost daily column, “John Kelly’s Washington,” at the end of this month. As I read his December 11 column, I kept putting myself in his shoes. Although there are several differences — he was a Post reporter before he began writing his daily column in 2004, and has worked at The Post for 34 years; my weekly column has appeared in the pages of the Falls Church News Press for more than 27 years. He is a professional journalist who gets paid for the words he writes; I am an elected official who writes gratis, grateful that FCNP publisher Nick Benton asked me to share my thoughts about the “Greater Falls Church area,” more than 1300 columns ago!

Kelly noted that he didn’t have people asking for his autograph in the grocery store checkout line, that his column allowed him to meet all sorts of people, and that his job has provided structure to his life. On the latter two, I agree, especially about structure. Writing my column is the most disciplined thing I do; at least 500 words by five o’clock every Tuesday. I think I missed a deadline twice — once because of a computer glitch that failed to transmit my column on time, the other because I needed extra time to report on a late-night Board of Supervisors decision. The grocery store checkout line is another matter. Rarely can I do my weekly grocery shopping without someone asking, “aren’t you Penny Gross?” Doesn’t matter which store; I’ve also been recognized at a Food Lion on the Outer Banks, and picking up lunch fixings in Sun Valley, Idaho! Twice in a dentist’s office, once with a Novocain needle sticking out of my mouth. A little difficult to carry on a conversation and dismayed that the medical staff didn’t do more to protect my privacy.

Kelly indicated that he is leaving his job without knowing what he’ll do next, and that, at age 61, he had been thinking it was time to consider slowing down. I had to chuckle a bit at that — I had no thoughts of slowing down at that age, but I also was not writing a lengthy column several days a week. Sometimes a column item comes quickly to mind, but most often it takes a lot of thought and contemplation. What may be interesting to me might not make an interesting column to others. Or connecting a theme to a local issue may be more trouble than it’s worth. After all, a column often is a larger essay, and there are lots of critics out there who bring to mind the instructors who graded my college compositions. I can guarantee that it was not great prose!

The subject of retirement is a different issue. Current retirees assure me that there is life after retirement, and that they are busier now than they were when they were working. Maybe that is because they now are in control of their schedules, they can spend more time on favorite leisure activities. Leisure doesn’t translate into meaningless drivel; there are countless activities that can keep retirees youthful and engaged. The challenge is to find the ones that inspire and fulfill you. Good luck, John Kelly!

Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.