Ever since Sarah Smiley wrote about moving to Bangor, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her columns. She is a great addition to our local paper.

Far from being part of a military family, I hold political leanings somewhere left of liberal. In 1968 I married a conscientious objector and fled with him to Canada. We’ve gone separate ways since then, but we both remain committed to peace and justice. Having had family members and friends in the service over the generations, I continue to respect those who serve with honor and integrity in the military.

Smiley gives readers a meaningful, sympathetic window on her life, and by extension, lives of other families of members of U.S. armed forces. To be sure, hers is pretty much limited to views of an officer’s family. Probably enlisted personnel have significant differences and much bigger problems.

But here she is – a Southerner, apparently a Republican, a young mother – writing with humor, sometimes sadness, always with especially excellent style. Smiley is a great find for the BDN. I hope a few more besides me will tell you how much we like Smiley. She’s a lot better than some of your other columnists, including some nationally syndicated writers.

Sharon Bray

Orland