Well not exactly back full time, but I am sitting at my computer thinking of all the people who ask me when I will return to the Light. During many months of recovery I have missed you, my readers, most of all, and I learned that writing my column kept me on top of everything going on in the community, including fundraisers, theater, dance, lectures, film  — all the fuel that feeds the column. I hope the absence of my printed word did affect the attendance. Selfish? You bet.

Briefly I should clue you in on what happened to me. It was Oct. 26. Following a cabaret performance at the Kranzberg Theatre I was chatting with some members of the audience, sipping on a glass of wine, naturally. Suddenly I lost my balance, crashed onto the ancient terrazzo floor and fractured both my left elbow and left hip.

It was very exciting for the audience, perhaps even more than the performance. Paramedics carted me off to Mercy Hospital where I spent several weeks in both the hospital and the rehab facility. Now I am on the rocky road to recovery, learning to walk again and to manage my life right-handed.

During the period of recovery I realized how much I missed culturally and educationally, as I was in no condition to attend those wonderful events. In fact I could not understand how many superb programs would go on without me. Didn’t they miss me in the audience? Was my absence of no consequence to their event? Now that I am back (partly) I am pleased to tell you that my welcome back has been thrilling. I have been to symphony, theater, lectures and dance programs, always like a queen in special handicap seats. What I miss is writing in advance about all the good things in this community — fundraising events for everything from arthritis to Yellow Fever (could not find a disease that starts with the letter Z);  plus the special musical events, and the fabulous programs for seniors at places like Crown Center, the Jewish Community Center, the synagogues and The Gatesworth.

This, my friends, has been my life since September 1963 when I was hired as a columnist for the Jewish Light. My first editor, Geoffrey Fisher, preceded Robert Cohn by six years or so. Yes, that’s right Bob and I have been duking it out for a mere 43 years.

My goal has been to serve the community and to write the column until September 2013 at which time I will have completed 50 years with the Light (coinciding, I might add, with the Light’s Golden Gala anniversary party at the Ritz Carlton Oct. 6, marking 50 years of the paper’s independence).

Most of the subjects for my 50 years of columns have come from you. So now I need your help.  Fill me in on what is going on in your life, something you want to share with the community that deserves its support.  Either email me at [email protected] or call me at 314-991-0040.

THE COLUMNIST IN ME won’t allow me to ignore the fact that former St. Louisan Revella Price died last week in Sarasota, Fla. where she had lived for many years. Rev is survived by her three children, Roy, Don and Patti Price, who tell me that their mother will have St. Louis’ Mt. Sinai Cemetery as her final resting place. Great, she always loved St. Louis.