The Question

ON THE COVER

Raise Your Glass

Gisela Kreglinger was raised on a winery in Franconia and now writes about the spirituality of wine from her Alabama home. Photo by Bradley Burckel Design by Jamie Dawkins BBefore the sun came up on a Tuesday this fall, I found myself pulling into the parking lot at Jimmie Hale Mission. Writer Rick Lewis, photographer Lucy Baird and I had come to see a group called Run2Rebuild in action. I knew the basics of what they did, that some 20-something guys including MBHS grad Jordan Carr had started a running/mentoring group for men in recovery at the mission, but there was something about seeing all of these men stretch together and catch up as the sun rose—a certain form of relational magic that you don’t find in a website description or Instagram post. The next best thing to actually being there—and one that tells a fuller story than you can get in just observing—though is reading Rick’s feature on the group in this issue and seeing Lucy’s photos from that morning. Obviously the story is powerful in its own right, but part of why I wanted us to tell it is because it’s representative of all the many people here in Mountain Brook who invest in and build relationships in the wider Birmingham community with people throughout our city.

I’m pretty sure we could fill not just a magazine but a lengthy book with all of those stories out there, many of them that people might be too humble to even want told. And I think it’s good for us to remember all of those ties as we go into the holidays and think of ways we can support organizations like Jimmie Hale Mission, maybe even giving in honor of loved ones as their holiday gift. Speaking of holidays, I’m extra excited about a stunning home decked out in simple greenery and lights for the season that we are featuring in the pages ahead. And as you pour glasses and toast with friends and family this season, what theologian Gisela Kreglinger shares about the spirituality of wine is sure to add all the more depth to your celebrations no matter your particular religious beliefs. Our annual Holiday Gift Guide is also full of ideas for those who are both easy and hard to buy for on your list all while shopping local. Elsewhere in the magazine we spotlight the impact Mountain Brook Gymnastics has had on countless gymnasts and the community as a whole over its many years and artist Barclay Gresham’s take on vintagemeets-modern style that you’ll find on the cover of this issue. And as we head into 2022, our Hit the Road feature this season takes you to three resorts in the Carolinas where you can be active in all kinds of off-thebeaten-path ways. As we head into holidays and the New Year, here’s to all the rich stories that our community will continue to live and that our team at Mountain Brook Magazine has the pleasure to share with you! Feel free to send ideas for them my way any time.